The Bond Servant
by A Spider Writing
Summary: Hermione's mission to thwart the Dark Lord in the past is well under way. With the help of Lucius Malfoy and friends it should be easy...right? This is a sequel. Please read Part 1, Bonds between Lost Souls, first. HG/LM, time travel, alternate reality. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This is the **sequel** to _Bonds between Lost Souls._ You'll be very, very confused if you don't read it first. Also, a bond servant in the Bible is a slave by choice, typically someone who returns or agrees to be enslaved in order to stay with family that is still in servitude. It began by nailing your own ear to the door post of your master's home. Enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I still don't own or profit from Harry Potter. Though, I do appreciate reviews. You don't even have to claim it on your taxes if you choose to leave one!

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter One**

Hermione had not had a pleasant day, and she knew it was not going to be getting any better. She had needed to spend the earlier part of her day doing work for her shifts at St. Mungo's the coming week, but instead she had spent a great deal of time staring into a cup of tea. She had reheated the same cup six different times before it truly became indigestible. She glanced up at the clock and sighed. She couldn't delay any longer.

She assumed, considering how concerned Voldemort was about rubbing elbows with the magical elite, that dinner would be a somewhat formal affair. Her stomach turned at the idea of even trying to look nice for him. Maybe if she went in a paper bag he would view her as not being worth his time and forget all about her? Not likely.

She changed into her clothing selection of the night. A white, fitted dress that clung to her curves but dropped demurely to cover her knees with an extra inch or so. Still being slightly chilly out, it had long bell sleeves. She looked almost innocent in it, and that was what she hoped he would take from it. While she didn't think he would lose interest in her, she did hope that he would see her as someone that would have to be slowly entrenched in his… practices. Maybe, that way, she would have a chance of finishing this before he expected her to start murdering pregnant muggle women or disabled kids.

She went light with her makeup, and brought her hair back in a loose ponytail. She wore Lucius's bracelet but no other adornments. Grabbing a small black clutch and matching coat to drape over her arm, she made her way to the floo.

She nodded at Tom as she walked by, and he smiled at her pleasantly. Quickly, she made her way into muggle London and hailed a taxi to take her to her approximate destination. He dropped her off on the wrong side of Hyde Park at her request. She thought walking the rest of the way would make sure she did not arrive too early… and give her time to focus her strength on her mental shields. He had said he didn't have intentions of forcing his way into her mind, but she certainly wouldn't put it past him to scan her surface thoughts. It was also not impossible that he would decide to break it word entirely.

Arriving on Grosvenor Crescent, she looked at the intimidating building. It was a long, stretched building made up of very expensive looking townhouses. The few people meandering outside were dressed much nicer than her, despite her care in picking out an appropriate outfit for dinner. She couldn't help but wonder who paid for Voldemort to live here, considering that the most she knew of his professional life was a period of time working at Borgin and Burkes upon completing Hogwarts. Still, she couldn't bring herself to be surprised. Wasn't it somewhat expected for a Dark Lord to have a nice residence?

She stood at the small wrought iron gate in front of the walkway to number 19. Obviously, it was not hidden by a Fidelius. It seemed odd that it wasn't hidden. Her question was answered then as she was almost knocked to the ground by a man walking by. "Sorry, ma'am! I didn't see you there!"

He looked at her, looked at number 19, and then walked off without waiting for any sort of response… as if he had never even hit her in the first place. As if she wasn't even there. Muggle repelling charms and some sort of confundus, apparently.

Taking a deep breath, she swung open the gate and walked up the few steps to the door. After ringing the bell, she only had to wait a moment before the door swung open to reveal a house elf. It held the door open silently, and Hermione frowned at it as she stepped inside. After closing the door behind her, the small elf held out its hands for her coat, which she willingly gave. With a crack, it disappeared.

A moment later, the host was seen coming down the staircase. "Hera, you are punctual. That is greatly appreciated."

She looked up at Lord Voldemort as he smirked at her, coming to a halt in front of her. "Please, come with me. I have instructed the elves to get us both a drink. Do you have a preference?" He was dressed in a black three piece suit, colorless except for a bold, crimson tie. If this was a movie, she would have expected it possible that he was a "Satan in disguise". His hair was perfectly combed, though with a slight tousled appearance. It was thick with a slight cowlick going toward the right. He certainly looked much better with hair… and a nose… and eyes that weren't red.

She shook her head lightly. "No, sir. I do not drink much alcohol."

He nodded, "Wonderful. I try to stay away from it for the most part as well. Too many drink and lose control of themselves. I despise the idea of not behaving exactly how I would like. Still, a glass of wine should be okay with dinner. Red or white?"

She fought the urge to roll her eyes, and succeeded. It was quite easy to resist considering he might just decide to kill her if he thought she was being disrespectful. "I am sure whatever you choose will be wonderful," she responded, diplomatically.

"Such lovely manners. Please, dinner should be ready."

He led her down the hallway next to the stairs and into a formal dining room. The table sat eight, but only the head of the table and a chair next to it had been set. He took her arm as he led her around the table and pulled her chair out for her. His manners were impeccable; it was a shame he was an evil son of a bitch.

After seating himself, he snapped his fingers, and two house elves came in. The first poured them each a glass of red wine, and the second put a small bowl in front of each of them. Taking a look at the silverware, she noticed that there would be four courses. She had hoped it would be less…

Hera politely took a sip of the, admittedly delicious, shrimp bisque. She wanted to hate everything about her current situation. She wanted to find nothing about the monstrosity seated next to her to be pleasant. It would only fuel her fire for him to have served her disgusting food. Unfortunately, elves had no plans to cook dissatisfying food.

She glanced at the small creatures. They were standing near the door they had come in through, looking at their feet and saying nothing. While the Malfoy elves did not go out of their way to speak, these elves seemed different. She felt almost as if they didn't speak at all.

Catching her gaze, Voldemort spoke. "I have never been fond of house elves," he said, as if that was a sufficient response.

"I see," she vaguely returned.

He raised an eyebrow at her short response and then continued. "They are very powerful creatures, house elves. You wouldn't know it, looking at them, but their magic envelops them in a way that most wizards cannot even comprehend."

She couldn't help but wonder where his line of thought was going. "And that makes you dislike them?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. Unlike their distant cousins, they have relegated themselves to serve wizards, many of which cannot hold a candle to their own abilities. They allow themselves to be treated abominably. _That_ I dislike. If you _have_ power, I think it is your duty to use it. Magic itself blessed them, yet they do not use it to their own gain. It is a waste."

She hadn't thought of it that way. "Yet, you employ at least three," she finally said.

He smirked. "We are both Slytherins; I thought the reasoning would be clear as to why I employ them."

She took a sip of her damned delicious wine before responding. "Perhaps I am not as intelligent as you think I am."

He laughed at that. If she hadn't known what he was, she would have thought it was quite a pleasing laugh. "No, I think you certainly are as intelligent as I think you are. I just think you have not wrapped your head around thinking about things with the purpose of 'how will that suit my purposes'. I have house elves because they, for ridiculous reasons, are loyal and hardworking. They wish to serve and please me. While I think their reasoning is flawed, it is certainly in my best interests to allow them to do it."

She looked at him, eyebrows raised. "People could say the same about wizards, couldn't they? You might not like them… or even care about their own needs at all…"

He looked at her with a very pleased expression on his face. "Yet, if they are willing to serve me, I will gladly allow it." While she still thought he was ridiculously evil, she came to a realization about him, then. From a young age, she had understood that he tortured and killed muggles and people who fought against them. She might have thought it immoral and disgusting, but she knew he didn't think they deserved better. She had never quite understood how he could torture his own followers though, people who sacrificed and worked for him at their own expense. Now, he was giving her the answer. He wouldn't even see it as a betrayal of them. They were as good as house elves to him, tools to be wielded and disposed of at his pleasure. They did not respect their own abilities enough to not see themselves as needlessly subservient to him, so he didn't respect them at all.

"I hope this is not how you recruit all of your potential… followers to your cause. I am not finding it to be very persuasive." She regretted the words even as she spoke them, sure she had angered him. Instead, he laughed again.

"Who is questioning whose intelligence now, Hera?"

They silently ate the rest of their first course, and it was quickly replaced by a garden salad. As the elves retreated from their plates once more, she had to ask. "Why do they not speak?"

He shrugged. "I have instructed them not to unless absolutely necessary. I, personally, cannot stand to hear their hideous grammar. I think they purposefully try to speak poorly. Think of it. They are attuned to their masters' voices, able to hear everything that is said. They _wait_ to be summoned from wherever they are. I think they speak so… brokenly in order to make whatever idiot master they have feel better about himself. I'm sure many would argue that they are not educated enough to grasp grammatical concepts, but they have fetched books for me. They obviously can read, in which case there is no excuse for it. I also dislike their simpering tone, and I do not need them to acknowledge my orders verbally, merely follow them. Why should I waste my time trying to understand them?"

She raised her eyebrow at him. A rather strange conspiracy theory of sorts, but one she could not _immediately_ discount. She did not respond but merely returned to eating her salad.

As they finished the second course, she glanced up to see him looking at her. "As to my recruiting procedures, I thought I was quite clear as to what I wanted your role to be within my…"

"Regime?" she finished for him, causing his lips to quirk as he held in a smile. He obviously found her amusing, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing. Better than him torturing her, though.

"That will do, I suppose," he granted. "As I said before, and am witnessing with every interaction between us, you are too intelligent and independent for me to approach as a random sycophant. I do not think you would be amenable to that, and I would be quite disappointed if you were. I told you that I see similarities between the two of us, and I would hate to be disappointed in that regard. I truly intend to be a… mentor of sorts. While I might expect you to do certain tasks for me, I intend for the benefits of our relationship to go both ways. I believe we can make each other better." He smiled at her, disarmingly, but it only made her more tense.

"Yes, I understood you, but can you blame me for questioning your intent? You have readily admitted to me that you see the general populace as unimportant and only as good as their usefulness to you. I am sure you do not seduce them to your way of thinking by telling them as much. It would make sense for you to make them feel special, as you are obviously trying to do with me."

He continued to look at her in amusement. "I have not had to talk them into anything. They are willingly coming to me and not questioning what I might think about them. It is rather shortsighted of them, considering so many _are_ Slytherins or at least familiar with political maneuvering. That is one of the things that sets you apart. I am having to recruit you with more than just promises of power and prestige. You wish to be respected for your abilities, not for your position in society. I _respect_ that. People acknowledge me as a leader because I have the abilities to ensure that I stay in that position. It has not been given to me. I did not buy it. I have earned their respect, and I think you deserve the same from them."

The third course was set in front of them, and Hermione looked down at the delicious steak and green beans. She reached for a roll in the center of the table and took to spreading butter on it as she thought of what she wanted to say.

"I do not agree with pureblood supremacy," she finally said.

He shrugged. "I do not particularly care about it myself. I will acknowledge that, in general, purebloods are more powerful, adept wizards. As I also told you before, there are glaring exceptions."

"What exceptions are those? You do not seem to surround yourself with many of us low born citizens." She was hunting now. Hoping that he would confide in her. "My parentage has not been confirmed, so I cannot be listed amongst them."

He nodded. "Indeed. Eliyona Dolohov is worth mentioning. While she did not have the same drive as we do, she was known for being very capable."

"One? That is all? Couldn't she just be a fluke?"

He was silent as he leaned back a bit more in his chair, taking a long sip of wine. She would have to take a leap of faith. "I might severely regret doing this, but it is likely bound to come out eventually no matter what." She slowly rolled up the sleeve of her left arm, aware that he watched as she did so.

He concealed any surprise remarkably well as he took in the sight of the ugly scar on her arm. "Is it true?"

She nodded. "It is, though I have tried to keep that knowledge from most of my acquaintance. Lucius, Mrs. Malfoy, and the headmaster know, but that is all." She did not mention her students, not wanting him to think of them at all if possible.

"May I ask how you received such a…. poignant reminder?"

"I rescued a classmate at the orphanage when I was thirteen. Two wizards happened to see me use the accidental magic that did it. They initially were impressed, but were much less so once they learned that I was not some abandoned pureblood. They said I had no right to use magic and wanted my shame to be visible. It was a cursed blade."

"What else did they do?" His interest was certainly piqued, and he had yet to look back at her face.

"Many rounds of the Cruciatus," she said, angrily looking at her arm.

"Do you know who they were?" he asked, sounding a bit angry.

She looked at him with surprise. "No. I haven't seen them since. They were much older; they could be dead by now."

"And your birth parents?"

She shrugged. "I don't know where they are. They were scared of my magic and left me there. I broke all of the glass in their home, I think. My mother was quite angry."

He sneered then. "Ah, yes, I remember Abraxas telling me something similar to that now. Well, as to my feelings on it, I think magic can infuse itself with anyone to varying extents. I do not know why you were given it, but it is yours to use. You are a powerful witch, and that is good enough for me."

"So… you just go along with your followers' hatred of muggleborns and muggles?" she asked, curiously.

He looked at her appraisingly. "My followers are concerned that their heritage is being taken away from them. They are concerned that muggle influences are shaping society into something they do not want or recognize. They worry that their bloodlines would be polluted to the point of the magic dying out of the families. I can understand those concerns. Even since I was a boy, muggle culture is continually fusing with our own. As to if purebloods are _better_ than halfbloods or muggleborns, magically, that depends solely on the individual. If two idiot, incompetent purebloods marry and have an idiot child, it is decidedly worse than competent pureblood marrying a powerful muggleborn and even just having an average child. That is why I am willing to support a union between you and Mr. Malfoy. Any children you have are likely to be a credit to the wizarding world. Unfortunately, many of the people who agree with me on the earlier issues will not ever see it that way."

"And muggles?" she asked, frowning at how easily he answered her. His charisma was unmatched amongst the people she knew. He made Gilderoy Lockhart look even more of a fool. She was somehow thankful to know that he was, indeed, a monster. Otherwise… would she have been tempted by his pretty words?

He looked angry, now. "Muggles... I do not like muggles. While I acknowledge they outnumber us to the point of us not being able to easily control them, I do think that we should be completely isolated from them. Muggles raising magical children disgusts me. They would either be afraid or resent the children for their abilities. On the off chance that they are supportive, they teach their children that the two worlds can blend and pollute our society with their own. I believe very few _good_ muggles exist."

She was so close to her goal. If he would confide in her, thinking that he had her trust already, he would be much more likely to share things with her in the future. Like secrets. And soul containing devices. "Did you have a bad experience with muggles?" she asked, trying to sound innocently curious.

He was silent for only a moment before finally telling her. "Though most of my followers do not know, or have selectively forgotten, I am… a half blood. My father was a horrible waste of space. He rejected my mother when he learned she was pregnant. My mother died shortly after giving birth to me, and I was raised in a muggle orphanage. There, I met only more abusers. If they weren't cruel to me, they were afraid of what I could do. It is another thing we have in common. Raised in an orphanage, rejected by a muggle parent. I don't know how you _can_ like muggles."

She looked at him, quietly. "I am sorry to hear that," she finally responded.

He brushed off her sympathy as if it would cause him harm. "Obviously, it would be quite hypocritical of me to believe that purebloods are better than the rest of us, just because both of their parents were magical. I am confident my power easily outshines that of my mother. Still, I do not intend to advertise those thoughts. I know your secret, and you know one of mine. I trust my confidence will not be broken." He looked at her not in question, but in demand.

Still, it wasn't a problem for her to agree, honestly. "Of course." Dumbledore could always hand out that information at a good time, and it wasn't like her side wasn't already aware of his humble background. "So, your goal is to isolate the magical world from the muggle andcompletely separate government."

"Yes. With me as its head of course. I am a Slytherin, after all." He smirked, raising his glass lightly in what seemed to be a silent toast to himself.

"And how do you intend to achieve that?" she questioned.

"I will make sure any legislation favoring goals that do not coincide with mine does not pass. Legislation that might be favorable will be created and put into practice. I have plans to eventually run for Minister of Magic. A post willingly given is not as easily removed."

She nodded. "And what of those that might oppose you?"

He shrugged. "They will be forcefully suppressed."

"By what means?"

He took a bite of his steak and swallowed politely before answering. "By whatever means necessary."

They were quiet again as they ate then, both thinking quietly about their own thoughts. Hermione didn't know how to broach the next topic that would be necessary. As she took the last bite of steak, she finally decided on a course of action.

"While I do not necessarily think that an isolated magical world is a bad thing…"

"I thought you'd agree," he interrupted, smiling in a way that almost looked shark-like.

"I am not comfortable torturing and killing people just because they disagree with me," she said, seriously.

He nodded. "I am well aware. You already said as much. I have no intentions of making you my executioner. At the same time, I will expect that you will handle any disrespect given to you. I will expect you to make sure others know exactly what is expected of them. Orders coming from you will often be as good as orders coming from me. Considering the people that will be likely to disrespect you are those that think you aren't as good as they are, I don't see why that should be a problem."

The idea of returning a bit of the pain that Bellatrix had given her was certainly appealing. She couldn't deny that a part of her had always wished she had gotten a piece of Bellatrix before Molly had ended her. Still, she didn't like the idea of torturing people. But, what other choice did she have? He seemed adamant. "I would request that you not put me in the position to do that as much as possible. I do not wish to damage my soul more than absolutely necessary. I am decidedly 'grey' and would prefer to stay that way."

He smirked but nodded. "Yes, you had mentioned… conditions. Quite bold of you to say that, considering you know what I am capable of. Were there more?"

The other moment she was waiting for. "One. Lucius," she said, quietly.

"What about him?" he asked, somewhat pleasantly.

"You said you do not care about romantic relationships, but I feel differently. Considering you have been quite clear about how much you care about those that listen to you, I think it is understandable that I do not want him to be potential cannon fodder. I am quite capable of handling or delegating whatever tasks you might conceive to give him. I wish for you to promise not to attempt to recruit him _or_ enlist others to do so. What Abraxas does with his life is his business, but Lucius's life is very much tied to mine."

He smirked. "Do you think giving away how attached you are to him to be wise?"

She glared slightly, as much as she dared. "Were you under the impression that I was just with him for fun? He will likely be my husband one day. I don't want him to be one of your… sycophants, I believe you said. You will have your followers, but I want him to be _mine._ "

He frowned. "It is such a shame, though. He is also quite talented and would be a credit to me."

She raised an eyebrow. "He is a Malfoy. Do you honestly see him opposing your ideals? I am sure he would not have much issue with an isolated wizarding world, as long as it was economically sustainable. He might not be your ally, but do you think he'd be an enemy?"

He sighed. "I suppose not. Very well. If _he_ approaches _me_ , though, I will not turn him away. Do you really think he will be satisfied with his _wife_ being the powerful one, though?"

She shook her head. "We will just have to see. I am not quite stupid enough to expect you would take a vow to me, but I do think that you can acknowledge it is in your own self-interest to live up to your word. If I hear he has been approached or persuaded to join on your orders, I will hurt you. I am sure you know I can find a way to do it, too. My confidence and my allegiance are broken as soon as you break mine." Threatening the Dark Lord was not something she ever saw herself doing, but… here it was.

He smirked at her again, looking as if he thought she was a cute little bunny or something of the like before nodding. "I'm sure if anyone could make a solid attempt at harming me and my campaign, it would be you. Very well. I accept both of your… conditions. I suppose we are in agreement, then? I will see much more of you in the future." He was obviously unmoved by her threat, especially considering the fact that he believed himself to be ultimately immortal.

"As long as your sycophants can stand it," she responded.

"Oh, I think after a few moments of careful consideration, you will feel very warmly welcomed," he said with a quiet chuckle.

As a wonderful looking chocolate mousse was brought out for dessert, he looked down at her still exposed arm. "I could remove that for you," he said of the scar.

She shook her head. Unquestionably, his methods would not be pleasant or they would have already been attempted. Right after the war, she had searched like crazy for a way to remove her scar. Finally, she had come to terms with it, though. "While I might not be happy about my background, I do not want to outright deny the truth. Not to mention that striking someone down that would use that word against me… showing them that, despite it all, I can triumph over them… why would I want to remove the reminder I am better than them?"

He smiled in approval, and she hated that they both understood it the same way.

* * *

She left that night shortly after dessert, which was unfortunately divine. Upon arriving home, she walked tiredly to her desk. She was mentally exhausted and just wanted to sleep and forget.

Taking a quill, she quickly wrote a quick note to Adeline.

 _Adeline,_

 _It was so nice to hear from you, even in the wake of such a rough week for us all. I am well; do not worry. I am not falling behind at work. I haven't heard from Lucius since he returned to Russia, but I am sure that he is as well as he can possibly be. I think your idea to go on a vacation with Abraxas is wonderful. I am sure you could both use a break to recuperate a bit. I will be seeing a lot more of you both when you return, but for now I am quite busy._

 _Love, Hera_

She was sure the meaning would be picked up easily. Everything was according to plan. Lucius is not in immediate danger, either. Work on occlumency with Abraxas and keep him away. When he returns, he will likely see her rubbing elbows with his nasty death eater friends. Or bloodying them. She halfway hoped for the latter.

After sending the letter off with her owl, she climbed her stairs, unzipping her dress as she went. After shedding her clothes, she did not hesitate before collapsing in bed. Anything else could wait.

* * *

 _Welcome to Part 2! Thanks for coming over! Please leave a review on this chapter and let me know what you think of it! You were all (mostly all) so kind for Part One- Thank you!_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own not Harry Potter and profit solely in your kind reviews.

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Two**

Adeline looked at the letter she had just received with mixed emotions. Part of her was very relived, though she hadn't particularly doubted Hera's abilities. It was not of great surprise that she had succeeded in her task. She would have more relief if she didn't know that this was just the beginning of a very long, dangerous period. More than the modicum of relief she felt was a growing sense of dread that she felt might cripple her if she allowed it to do so. Much could go wrong, and she feared for her family…

Still, she knew what she needed to do. She could help prevent her husband from being a liability to the girl she loved like a daughter. She wished she knew that she could change Abraxas completely, that it had been prophesized that Abraxas would become a great man for the sake of doing good. Unfortunately, the only surety was what would happen if she did nothing. If Hera hadn't come, their family had been set for ruin. She had a chance to prevent that "inevitability". And, she had to keep reminding herself that, eventually, the time of prophecy comes to an end. Technically, the more successful they were in their mission, the less they could rely on Hera's visions. Eventually, they would be in the dark if all went to plan.

For now, she would just have to hope that their plans to alter the not-quite-inevitable future would put them into a good position for positive change.

She folded the letter back up and put it in her desk before walking from the room and to Abraxas's study. Having been counting on the news she had received, she had already planned their vacation. They would be leaving in the morning for Crete. There was a small, rather hidden wizarding community there, and she knew that Abraxas loved the beaches.

The Lord Malfoy looked up at his wife as she walked in. "I'll be ready for bed in just a few minutes, Addy. I just need to finish looking over these numbers."

She folded her hands in her lap as she sat down across from him. "Abe, when is the last time we took a proper vacation?"

He looked skyward as he thought. He knew it had been the Canary Islands, but… was that four years ago? "Has it been that long?" he questioned. "Well, we will have to change that, soon. I will speak to my investors tomorrow about taking some time off."

She smiled at him. "Oh, I had hoped you would be interested! I already spoke to them a few days ago. Your meetings are covered already. We leave tomorrow night for Crete!"

"Why the surprise?" he asked with a frown. "You know that I like to schedule my calendar two weeks in advance! I am going to have several upset business partner angry that I am putting them off!"

She looked down at her lap, deciding to play the pity card. "I… I know that you have been very busy and all of these ugly things happening have made it hard to take a moment. But… don't you want to go? I just wanted a little while to relax and reconnect with you. We have been so concerned with everything else going on that I feel like I barely see you. I thought that, if it was already planned, there would be less excuses to change your mind…"

"Still, you could have told me. Then we could have planned it together, and I wouldn't have to be as stressed out." Abraxas, she knew, did like to feel as if he had a healthy amount of control in their relationship, and she wasn't surprised at his protest.

She brought some fake tears to her eyes and made a show of glancing at him before wiping them away. She could only ever squeeze out a few. "I… Eliyona… the last time we met for tea, she talked about how she missed vacationing with Vaughn. Said it had been two years since they last travelled together without Antonin. Since… since she died, I have just thought back to it repeatedly. If something happened to you, my last memories of us getting out and concentrating on each other would have been four years ago. I want to know we worked and valued time together all the way up until the end, though hopefully that is in the distant future. But…" she sniffled again for effect, "you never know when your last day will be…"

He sighed, smiling sadly at his wife's bowed head. "You are right, Addy. I am sure you have planned everything perfectly- you always do. Go on to bed. I really will be up shortly."

She stood and walked around his desk, kissing him gently. "Thank you, Abe… this means the world to me."

"My pleasure, love. You know I can't say no to you."

She smirked as she walked from the room. She could play that man like a violin.

* * *

Two days later, sitting on the deck of a rather luxurious villa on the island of Crete, Abraxas looked out over the Mediterranean Sea. They had just arrived late the night before, and Abraxas was quite pleased with his wife's selections so far. The villa selection was perfect, and he was quite eager to go take a swim. He would have to wait for his Adeline to wake up, though.

In the meantime, he could distract himself with a good book. When was the last time he had read for pleasure? It had been longer than he cared to remember; that was for sure. His reading was interrupted by a figure suddenly blocking his sun. He looked up with a frown to see his wife staring at him. "Good morning, Addy. How did you sleep?"

She smiled as she sat down on the chair next to him. "It was acceptable, I suppose. Can you put your book down? We need to talk."

Abraxas was not a stupid man. He knew that _those_ four words said in _that_ tone never ended with a discussion he wanted to have. Still, he put his book on the table next to him and gave his attention to his wife. "What did I do?"

She took his hand in hers and graced him with a guilty look. "Okay… what did _you_ do?" he asked, suspiciously.

"I lured you here," she whispered.

A single, pale eyebrow raised. "And why, my love, would you need to _lure_ me somewhere? I've always been happy to be a slave to your desires."

"I brought you here to become more proficient at occlumency. You will need it when you get back. Your progress hasn't been bad so far, but I can't have you home right now when your defenses are not good enough. We have three weeks to make you proficient enough to face Lord Voldemort without giving things away."

He glared, "And what would I risk giving away? I haven't given away that Hera doesn't like him."

She nodded. "Yes, but I feel like that situation is going to become more stressful for you. If you feel stressed, you will falter, and he will learn things he shouldn't."

"Like what?" he asked, growing impatient.

She met his eyes. "Hera is going to be spending a lot of time with Lord Voldemort in the future. We cannot afford for him to know that she harbors ill intent toward him; it would cost her life."

He stood from his chair. "And why, exactly, would she choose to spend time with a man she told me she would like to see dead? Is she _trying_ to get herself killed? I am starting to think the girl is not _nearly_ as intelligent as I thought!"

She looked up at him from her seat. "Because she intends to gather information on how best to dispose of him," she said, seriously.

His eyes widened. "What are you talking about?!"

"She is going to be a spy," she said, simply.

"What? For who?! How do _you_ know this?!" His eyes widened even further as he snarled at her. "What. Have. You. Done, Adeline?!"

She stood up and walked to him until their toes touched. "I told you that if you chose to side with _him,_ that you might find yourself at the end of my wand, Abraxas. I am a part of a resistance group, the same as Hera is. Now, if you see Hera at that maniac's side and give her away, it not only endangers her, but me as well. You need to get better at Occlumency… unless you don't care if I die."

She was not sure she had ever seen her husband so angry. His eyes looked like steel. She couldn't really blame him, though. She had backed him in a corner and taken away his choices. For a man that valued control and being "head" of the family, she was emasculating him to a startling degree. "That girl has wrapped you up in something you have no business being involved in!"

Adeline shrugged. "I am quite sure that if people approached me and told me of the threat, Hera or no, I would fight against it. As Lady Malfoy, that was unlikely to happen, but I am happy doing what I am. Abe, I can't tell you everything I want to about this, and I don't know when that will change. You will just have to trust that I am doing this _for_ our family. He would destroy _everything_ you have worked for, I swear it. He would turn our family into nothing more than monsters _, and I will not stand for it_. If you are stupid enough to legitimately take up his cause, despite the harm that would bring on me and our son's intended, then no amount of love I have for you can protect you. Still, unless you plan on going to him and telling him what I am saying to you, knowing that any half-truths will have him attack you for any scrap of information he can get, you need to get better at occlumency. The time for taking your time is gone. You are being forced to take action one way or another."

His jaw was clenched tightly, and his eyes were staring daggers at her. She didn't back down. She stared right back at him. Finally, she spoke in a tone much more gentle than she had been. "Abe, I love you. I need you to trust me. Think of Lucius."

Finally, he blinked. And then, he walked to his chair and collapsed. "Fine, Addy…. Fine." So much for reading for pleasure.

* * *

Hermione had expected that she would hear from her new "master" within a matter of days. As a result, she spent the next two weeks on tenterhooks. By the time she heard from him, it was with almost a sense of relief. She no longer had to be waiting and expecting it, even if she did not want it to begin with. It was the fourth day of May. She would have made a Star Wars joke, but she doubted people would understand it considering the first movie wouldn't come out for another five years.

She was at Hogwarts, about to leave to go home, when an owl swooped in through her window. The owl was the same as before, though it seemed to have lost more feathers. What did he do to his _owl_ to cause it to be so stressed out? It wasn't like he possibly expected it to attack people, and he didn't seem the sort to stress an owl out by forcing it to carry a bunch of Howlers at his request.

Sighing, she untied the letter from the owl's foot. "Why don't you go up to the owlery and get something to eat or drink? You are losing weight," she beseeched. The owl hooted but made no move to leave.

Frowning, she opened the letter to read.

 _Hera,_

 _Your presence is requested at a small dinner party I am hosting the evening of the twelfth. You will be the guest of honor, and I will be formally introducing you to several of my associates. Formal dress is required. Dinner will be served at 7, though I would like you to show up an hour prior._

 _LV_

Ugh. That sounded horrible. Not to mention, she had to be concerned over the attendees. Of course, she did not expect friends to be there, but Adeline and Abraxas were due back from Crete next Wednesday. She hoped Adeline had adequately prepared Abraxas in the event he was to be there.

She looked at the owl and sighed. "I suspect you could use a break just as much as I could. How about I not answer this until the morning?" The bird ruffled its feathers and hooted, happily.

"I will be going home tonight. If you are tired, you can sleep here in my office. You can also go on to my house and wait there. I'm sure you know how to get there. I keep fresh water and some food out for owls on the desk." The owl hooted again before taking to the window. Hopefully, the poor thing would eat something…

When she arrived home, she contemplated writing to Lucius but eventually decided against it. They had only exchanged two letters in the past few weeks, and both had been rather detached. She knew it needed to be better, but there just didn't seem to be much to say when they couldn't say what they _wanted_ to. The platitudes and words of love seemed inconsequential.

Instead, she went to bed, hoping that when he did eventually return that they would be able to repair the damage done.

* * *

Just over a week later, Hermione walked up the familiar walkway to the townhome of Lord Voldemort. It seemed odd that someone so evil could live somewhere that was so… normal, even if expensive. Naturally, her mind imagined Voldemort being more comfortable around things that suited his personality more… somewhere like early Grimmauld place but worse. Black candles? Statues of the demonic forces he admired? The flayed skin of his enemies used as wallpaper?

Once again, she was greeted by a silent elf and her coat was taken. A moment later, the "man of the evening" came out of the study to the left and smiled at her.

"Hera! So glad you could make it. You look lovely!" Her dress was black to match her mood, its full skirt wrapping around her and sailing to the floor. A white ribbon at the waist and white gloves broke up darkness to it. "Knowing why the gloves are there now, I have to wonder why no one ever questioned why you always had your arms covered. It must simply be because of how absolutely stunning they look on you."

"Thank you, sir," she replied.

An elf came up to them with a tray holding two glasses of champagne. He picked them up and offered one to her. "Ah, one of the reasons I asked you to come first, actually. Considering you _are_ to be in my service, I will expect you to call me 'my lord' from this point on. Before now, it could have just been seen as a social error, but now it would be seen as a sign of disrespect. You _do_ respect me, _don't you?"_ He smirked at her as he took a sip from his glass, confident in her response, even if he knew it wasn't the same level of respect that his other followers had for him.

She fought the urge to grit her teeth, "Yes, my lord. Of course."

"Tonight, several of the people I see as pivotal to my movement will be here. I expect they will be quite surprised to see you here, especially when they find out the esteem I hold for you. I am sure they might say rather rude things to you. I will take care of that this evening. However, in the future, if you are disrespected by any of these people, I will expect you to set them straight by whatever means you think necessary. Disapproval of you equals disapproval to my decisions, and I will not be questioned. Do you understand?"

"It sounds almost as if you wish for me to hurt them," she said, warily.

He shrugged. "If it is necessary, and that is a great possibility. Growing up in an orphanage, as myself, I thought you would understand how early discipline is dependent on rules strictly enforced the first time they are broken. If you allow them to break the boundaries of what is expected of them the first time, you can be assured they will try again."

"Who will be coming tonight?" she asked, quietly.

"Cygnus Black, Niall and Roderick Nott, Vaughn Dolohov, Augustus Rookwood, and Abraxas Malfoy," he listened, promptly.

"Abraxas?" she asked, nervously.

"Is that a problem? Your condition only stipulated Lucius, and Abraxas has been involved with me long before you came along. At the very least, he is most likely to grant you the respect entitled to you," he asked, curiously.

She shook her head. "Not at all. It will be good to catch up. I haven't seen him since Eliyona's funeral," she said with a slight smile that she prayed didn't look too forced.

The doorbell rang, and she watched as Lord Voldemort looked at a clock on the wall. "Come, let us greet our guests."

The first guests to arrive were the Notts and Augustus Rookwood. All three of the men bowed slightly to Lord Voldemort before catching view of her over his shoulder. Roderick's eyes widened in surprise. "Miss Elias," he said, voice cautious. The two older men contained their surprise better but still seemed curious as to why she was there.

"Ah, yes, you graduated with the young Mr. Nott, didn't you, Hera?"

"Yes, my lord," she said, simply.

"How nice! At least you will have a friend here your own age. I was concerned you would be annoyed being surrounded by a bunch of old men, without even a woman to keep you apprised of the latest gossip."

She smirked at Nott, unable to not find amusement in the fact that one of the classmates that least approved of her was seeing her here now. "Unfortunately, Roderick and I never were very close friends. I am sure we will get along much better now that you have found reason to bring us together, my lord."

Roderick said nothing and was saved from it seeming awkward by the doorbell ringing once more.

Cygnus Black and Vaughn Dolohov showed up next. After bowing lightly, they greeted the other guests. Vaughn saw her first and smiled lightly. "I had not known you were coming, or I might have requested to bring Antonin with me," he said, politely. He didn't look good. Dark circled were prominent underneath his eyes, and his skin was pale and sickly looking.

"That is okay, Mr. Dolohov. I know Antonin is busy; I saw him a few weeks ago for dinner. How are you?" she was concerned by his presence… and his willingness to include Antonin.

"I am surprised to see Lucius Malfoy's…bed warmer here. Why did Abraxas bring her?" Cygnus interrupted, looking down his nose at her. One of Voldemort's hands came down onto Cygnus's shoulder, squeezing. According to Cygnus's wince, it was not gentle in the least.

"On the contrary, Cygnus, Miss Elias is the guest of honor tonight. I am unsure if Abraxas even knows she is attending as he has not arrived yet. Cygnus's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he looked at her, after a moment he smirked.

"I am sure she will be delightful entertainment for us all, my Lord," he said, eyeing her as obvious prey. She returned his look with a smirk of her own and a raised eyebrow, causing him to look a bit confused again. The doorbell rang again, and Voldemort opened the door himself to see Abraxas. Dressed as impressively as always, Abraxas stepped in, bending at the waist to his host before glancing around.

"I do hope I am not late," he murmured, meeting eyes with Hera.

"Good evening, Abraxas," she said, concealing her nerves.

He smiled lightly, naturally, and she was impressed with his acting skills. She knew that it was highly unlikely Abraxas was a fan of hers at the moment. Endangering him, his wife, his son and expecting him to hold the charade? "Hera. Lovely to see you. I did not know you had been invited," he said.

Voldemort nodded. "Yes, while you were in Crete, Hera and I had a meeting of the minds. I am sure you all will be seeing a lot of her in the future," he said, motioning toward the dining room.

Cygnus inhaled. "Ahh, that makes more sense. I am sure your son was absolutely heartbroken, Abraxas," he said, smirking at the blonde man.

Instead of cutting off his assumption, Voldemort came up to Hera and placed a hand on the small of her back, leading her to the dining room. Cygnus walked around the table as if he had eaten there many times before, preparing to take a seat just to the right of the head seat. As he pulled the chair out, Voldemort smiled. "How kind of you to pull out the seat for Miss Elias, Cygnus."

Cygnus's eyes flashed, though he played off the action, sliding the seat slightly roughly underneath her as she sat. Hermione smirked at him.

As the group ate dinner, conversation was slightly stilted, mostly due to the fact that the majority of the guests kept throwing glances at Hermione. Abraxas was able to keep his attention on his food easily enough, as he politely answered questions about his recent vacation. Cygnus, from his seat next to Hermione, tried to take up as much possible space at the table. Hermione suspected it was in an effort to annoy her.

After a few moments of discomfort, she spoke in a not-so-quiet whisper. "Mr. Black, I am afraid I must rebuff your advances to get close to me. I am involved in a serious relationship."

She could practically feel Voldemort's amusement as Cygnus scooted away. "Yes, Cygnus, it is quite odd for you to be so overt with your advances. You are well known to be a married man, after all."

"As if I would ever touch a-," Cygnus started, angrily.

Voldemort cleared his throat, and Cygnus paled. He was still under the assumption that Hermione and Voldemort were together. Hermione felt her stomach roll again at the thought.

"-companion of yours, my lord," he finished, looking at his place.

Abraxas raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I was under the assumption that my son and Miss Elias were very much involved. I thought you were just acting in very poor taste, as usual."

Voldemort chuckled. "Indeed, Abraxas, Cygnus's manners are leaving much to be desired. To be clear, Miss Elias is _not_ in any sort of romantic relationship with me and remains quite devoted to Lucius. She _is_ , however, very much wanted at this table. I consider her to be capable and wise counsel, and I would be most displeased to have to correct people for treating her in a way that is disrespectful of her position at my side."

Cygnus looked as if the truth, that Voldemort valued her as an ally, was much worse than the idea of him sleeping with her. "And… what is Miss Elias's position?"

He smiled at the wayward Black, dangerously. "Miss Elias should be given deference and respect approaching that which you give me. If she requests you to do something, on my orders, I expect it to be done as if I spoke to you myself."

"I had not realized Miss Elias was worthy of such an honor," Cygnus said, trying to contain his sneer.

"No one expect you to be able recognize such talent, Cygus," Voldemort said, glaring.

Rookwood cleared his throat, "She is to be your... protégé?"

Voldemort smiled, "That is an adequate term, I believe. Eventually, if all goes to plan, we will be living in a world that is dominated by the next generation. Miss Elias is a very promising student, and I wish to prepare her to have a major role in maintaining the empire we will be creating."

"Many of us have children that are just as capable as she is, surely," Cygnus said, looking at Hermione in a way to show he was not impressed by her.

"Perhaps that will be proven true. Antonin Dolohov does show promise," he said, nodding at Vaughn. Vaughn smiled with pride for his son.

"My eldest daughter, Bellatrix, will be graduating soon, my lord. I am sure she will be equally pleasing to you," Cygnus said, quickly.

Hermione spoke up, then. "Bellatrix is powerful, but I fear she is much too brash for the delicate movements required by our Lord. 'A bull in a china shop' is the muggle expression, I believe?"

Cygnus glared, and Voldemort chuckled. "Still, my dear, even bulls can have a purpose. What of his youngest, Narcissa?"

Hermione didn't want to hurt Narcissa, and she knew Narcissa had no intention of serving the Dark Lord. "Narcissa is certainly not as termpermental as her sister, but she lacks Bellatrix's amount of raw power as well. I think Narcissa aspires for a good match. She aims to be a society witch, I believe, and intends to focus on her family."

"Do we have hopes of seeing Lucius here with us anytime soon?" Vaughn asked, politely.

"Miss Elias has impressed on me how involved Lucius is with his education at the moment. I do not think he will be joining us anytime soon. Still, I am sure she will prove to be just as useful in his stead. I greatly look forward to their marriage. Do you and Lucius have any immediate plans, Hera?"

Hermione caught Abraxas looking at her, and smiled at him. "No, my lord. Lucius has not formally asked for my hand yet. We both feel the need to finish our training and establish ourselves in society. There is plenty of time to focus on a family in the future."

"I'm sure you are not in a rush for them to have children, are you, Abraxas?" Rookwood said, chuckling lightly.

Abraxas cleared his throat. "While I support their intentions to find gainful employment before marrying, I believe any children they have will be a great credit to the Malfoy name. I am quite eager to see what talents my future grandchildren will be able to bring to the table. Hera, Adeline has expressed her eagerness to see you, she doubtlessly wants to tell you all about our travels. Are you available for dinner soon? Perhaps Sunday evening?"

Hermione smiled. "That sounds wonderful. Thank you." She hoped he would be kind enough to add her to the wards again. She did not want the _shock_ of going there, otherwise.

The conversation was slowly steered into the ministry budget, and Hermione sighed. She supposed not everything could be worthwhile information to pass on, all that they spoke of was recorded knowledge. At this point, a lot of the things Voldemort was discussing and putting into effect were quite legal. She took the opportunity to take in her surroundings. The dining room really could use more color. It was all dark words and cream with absolutely nothing to make it stand out. The only decorations was a rather hideous piece of contemporary art featuring a witch with oversized lips lounging in a chair as she levitated the book she was reading and a china cabinet with variations of crystal and metal serving dishes and glassware. But… What was _that?!_ She tried not to allow her eyes to bug out of her head. There, toward the back of the top shelf was something that held _great_ interest to her. Next to a golden platter, sat a golden cup. It was quite small with two wrought handles and an engraving of….something on it. She couldn't make out what the engraving was at her distance, but she knew what was there. Just as she knew how heavy the cup likely was. And what it held…though empty. Helga Hufflepuff's cup was hidden in plain sight….right there in the dining room's china cabinet.

Her eyes snapped to Roderick Nott as he called out her name. "Hera, you look as if you have a lot on your mind. Knut for your thoughts?"

She tried to control her expression, though excitement was coursing through her. "I am sorry; I did not mean to be rude. Tomorrow's dueling class, mostly. I had a busy week at St. Mungo's, and I am hoping that Headmaster Dumbledore will not notice my lack of planning."

Voldemort, who had been speaking with Cygnus and Augustus, spoke upon hearing her reference to the headmaster. "Yes, the headmaster. What is it like teaching with him?"

Happy that he had not seemed to notice her eyes on his china cabinet, she responded. "It is good. He is certainly proficient with a wand. I would love to be able to spar with him one day, but so far we are sticking to the lesson plans. Still, he has impressive reflexes and a huge repertoire. I think I would not like to seriously duel with him."

"I'm always up for a challenge," Voldemort answered, causing several of the men at the table to chuckle. "And your students? Any that could best you?"

She frowned, thoughtfully. "As I said earlier, Bellatrix Black is very powerful. Considering I haven't dueled her since last year's competition, I can't say with certainty how we could match up. She would probably be the best competition from that year. Outside of her, there are several promising students that could hold their own. Most would be unwilling to use any kind of dark magic, though, so that puts them at a disadvantage."

"Any I should be keeping an eye on?" Her thoughts immediately went to her second years, but she didn't dare speak them out loud. "Mr. Travers' son in fifth is talented. He isn't very creative, but he is very fast. Anthony Greengrass is also quite impressive, though he needs to work on his defensive measures. He is too aggressive and risks himself when he shouldn't. Unfortunately, considering most of the students have had only a year of instruction, it puts them behind. The younger ones will grow up and be more formidable over all."

Voldemort nodded. "I will be sure to pass on your compliments to Travers. A Greengrass graduated with you, did she not?"

Hermione smiled back. "Yes, Anna. She is interning at the prophet and is in a relationship with my partner at St. Mungo's, Edgar Bones."

"The Bones has always been known for their talent. Though I doubt they would be sympathetic to our cause," Roderick added.

"I agree. Edgar is a very talented healer, more so than I am. He is unquestionably light, though. Fortunately, he takes the Hippocratic oath very seriously, so I have no doubt that any of us that might find ourselves in his care would be well looked after, regardless of his political leaning."

She hated talking about the people she knew. While what she had said of Edgar was true, she certainly didn't want them knowing that he would be more than willing to fight against them when he wasn't at St. Mungo's. She wanted to make sure he was in as little danger as possible.

"What ofThe Shacklebolt boy? You and Antonin are both good friends with him. I hear he is causing quite a stir in his auror training," Vaughn said, politely.

"Yes, Kingsley is very talented and someone I feel I can trust completely," she said, hoping the discussion would change quickly.

Abraxas nodded. "Yes, Kingsley has been a good friend to Hera, though he has never been a big fan to Lucius."

She shrugged. "No, they are civil now, but they certainly are not friends. Lucius knows Kingsley is respectful of our relationship though, so he is not considered to be a threat. Still, does any of this matter? From what I have been led to believe, we should be able to achieve what we need without worrying about too much blowback against us."

Voldemort nodded. "Indeed. I suppose it does not matter… for now."

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you so much for all of your very wonderful reviews! Considering I write this on one huge document and then separate into chapters (a strange process, but it works for me), I don't always have control with where it ends unless I make a chapter incredibly short or incredibly long. As a result, the last chapter of BBLS was tying up things. Not really where I would have preferred to end a story. But, I wanted the first chapter of The Bond Servant to be what it was, and I am pleased that you all enjoyed it. Thank you for your reviews, and please keep them coming! Every single one is greatly valued.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own not Harry Potter and profit solely in your kind reviews.

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Three**

Hermione strongly considered the possibility that she could actually die from lack of sleep. She was certain that she had never slept less… at least since the year on the run. For now, though, it wasn't fear that kept her awake at night. No, she was planning _constantly_ and worrying _constantly._ How could she keep her friends out of danger and out of Voldemort's service? How could she protect herself while simultaneously spying on the most dangerous wizard alive? How could she get ahold of all of his horcruxes without being found out? How could she do all of this without losing her soul? And, if she miraculously succeeded, would she find a life of happiness or another half-life, wishing things were different? Somehow, she did not see Abraxas offering her the opportunity to use the family time travelling device…

Still, after a long evening at the table of Lord Voldemort, her biggest concern was the horcrux she had spotted. He had the cup, which meant he had the locket. He had murdered Hepzibah Smith for both. Considering he had made the cup a horcrux with the death of its owner, she would have to hope he had already made the locket into one as well.

She knew that it wasn't in the cave, yet. Currently, Regulus was just a first year and had no reason to send his elf off to help a man that Hermione was quite sure had hadn't even met yet. Orion seemed a bit more cautious than his cousin, and it was well known that while Walburga was a sympathizer, she had never joined the Dark Lord. So, if it wasn't sitting in a bowl of admittedly horrid potion, where was it?

These thoughts plagued her as she finally fell to sleep, anticipating Dumbledore's advice she would receive the following day.

 _Bellatrix Black, as she had known her thirty years in the future, stared up at her from the floor._ _"_ _And what do you think you will do, mudblood?"_

 _A feeling of glee came over her as she aimed her wand at the witch._ _"_ _Make you wish that you had never crossed me," she whispered, her voice dangerously low._ _"_ _Crucio," she spat._

 _Bellatrix writhed on the floor, lasting only a moment in silence before she began to scream._

 _"_ _Why, my love, I think you are even better at that spell than Bellatrix herself," Lucius Malfoy said, his arm wrapping around her waist. She glanced over to him to see him wearing his threadbare prison robes._ _"_ _You are so sexy when you have our enemies exactly where we want them._ _Do you think you can silence her, though?_ _I do not like her voice, even when it is begging for mercy."_

 _She sighed, reluctantly dropping the spell. Bellatrix's body continued to shake slightly, and it was obvious from the stench in the room that she had wet herself._ _Hermione rolled her eyes as she took in the pathetic sight._ _"_ _And to think that you once thought you were more worthy than me… it should've become apparent to you so much earlier that I was our Lord's favorite, Bella."_ _Her hand reached up, fingering the locket that her master had given her to wear._ _Trusted_ her _to protect._

 _"_ _My lord, can I finish her? She is of no more use to us…" she asked, a keening quality taking over her deep voice._

 _"_ _As you wish, Hermione… she is yours," Voldemort said, sitting on a gilded throne._

 _Hermione smirked as she walked closer to Bellatrix and knelt down next to the panting witch._ _"_ _No more…. Please… please…."_ _A shaking hand reached out to grab at the hem of her black robes._

 _"_ _Don't worry. It won't take much longer._ _Crucio!"_

Hermione jerked awake in her bed with a scream. She threw back the sheets and sat at the edge of her bed, trying to breathe. Was she corruptible? She shook the thought off. Of course not. She couldn't imagine torturing someone into insanity, even Bellatrix Black. Would the locket do something like that to someone wearing it, though? She couldn't be sure. It had certainly changed her for the small stints of time she had been entrusted with it.

She felt sick at the idea of how _please_ d she was in the dream. Knowing that sleep would not come anytime soon, she stood and walked into her bathroom. She turned on the shower and shed her clothes before stepping inside. If luck was on her side, she would be able to get the locket without ever wearing it. Hopefully, without him even knowing she had it. But how could she even bring the subject up? Point out his obvious Hufflepuff cup? He would only hide the cup _and_ the locket. No…she would have to be a bit more Slytherin.

And then, she had a wonderful idea.

* * *

The next day, Hermione sat down with Severus after dueling club as usual. They were just taking their first sips of tea when he spoke. "Is everything okay? You have seemed off lately."

She raised an eyebrow, "In what way do I seem off?"

He rolled his eyes at her and put his cup on the desk before leaning back in his chair. "I think I know you well enough by now to tell when something is wrong. You can lie or tell me that it isn't any of my business, but it doesn't change the fact that _something_ is wrong. You can trust me, you know?" He looked at her hopefully, and she smiled at him, softly. She understood his need to be needed and trusted by someone, but he was still only thirteen.

"I know that I can trust you, Severus. You are family, or just as good as, I expect. I can't tell you everything though. Primarily, because it could come back to bite us in the arses. Secondarily, there isn't anything you can really do to help at this point. I promise that, one day, I will tell you everything."

He nodded. "Is there anything you can tell me now? Is there anything I should be doing?"

She frowned at him, thoughtfully. "You can stay the course. I told you that big things are happening behind the scenes, and I meant it. I am involved in something I would rather not be, though it is completely necessary. For now, I want it to be apparent to the outside world that there are Slytherins that aren't necessarily light and that want peace and friendship. I need you to be an antithesis to several people in the house right now. Try to get along with everyone, but _do not_ allow them to corrupt you."

"I'm guessing you can't tell me more on what it is you are involved in?" he asked, looking slightly nervous.

"No, I can't. One day, you will know, though," she said, sadly.

He nodded. "And as to the more difficult part of this, you act as if I am widely liked and welcomed by… well, pretty much anyone. I am not exactly the Slytherin Prince, Hera. I get by without getting hexed, but that is about it."

She smiled at him. "Not getting hexed is quite the accomplishment. How are things with Regulus? Rabastan?"

He shrugged. "Good, though Rabastan says things are tense at home. Rodolphus and Bellatrix will be getting married in September. You'll probably get an invitation soon," he said, plainly.

She laughed. "Probably not with the bride's blessing, of course."

They chuckled at the thought. "You should try to outdress the bride," he said, smirking.

Hermione looked up in thought. "That sounds like an idea…"

Severus smirked before turning serious once more. "Regulus is fine. He's a bit annoying, but I get why you wanted me to reach out. He's definitely conflicted, and Bellatrix comes down hard on him about Sirius."

"And what have you said?"

"I might have mentioned that even if Black was the biggest pain in the arse on Earth that he at least seemed to care more about his family than Bellatrix does. You should be proud of me for that. It gave me severe heartburn to have to say something nice about him." He glared lightly as he playfully rubbed his chest.

Hermione laughed. "And Sirius? How has your interaction with him lately?"

He frowned. "He's living up to his end of the bargain. He and Potter have seemed kind of tense lately, but he hasn't said anything to me at all, really. I'm sure it is driving Potter nuts not to walk around with a supporting arsehole, though Pettigrew tries. Is it just me, or does he seem like a bit of a rat?"

She laughed even harder at Severus's description. "I think he definitely has rat-like qualities. But as his teacher, I will deny ever having said it, so keep your mouth shut."

Severus seemed pleased at being able to entertain her and reached out to pick his cup up once more. "How is Lucius doing? Will he be coming home to visit anytime soon?"

Hermione looked down, trying to hide the upset in her eyes. "We are having a bit of an ongoing disagreement, but he is doing okay. I don't know when he will be coming home again; he is staying very busy with his master."

Severus frowned. "Are you going to be breaking up with him?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. I hope not. Enough about that, though. How is Lily?" Lily was always a good way to change the conversation for Severus, and she relaxed as Severus started to talk about what he had been doing with his friend.

* * *

At dinner that night, she walked to the Great Hall with a sealed envelope underneath her arm. In it, she had written down the short version of everything that had happened at Voldemort's dinner, including the Horcrux. She stated that she had a good plan for how to deal with it and would disclose it to him as soon as she knew it was a possibility. Although, as long as Hogwarts, A History had not changed too much over the years, it should work perfectly.

She walked to the head table but did not take the seat reserved for her. Instead, she walked to Dumbledore and handed him the papers. "The proposed lesson plans you asked for sir. I finished them late Friday night, but I forgot to get them to you during club, today."

Albus, who had not been expecting any lesson plans at all, didn't miss a beat. "Ah, thanks you, Miss Elias. I am sure they are impeccable, but your first year has to be a probationary one of sorts. I'll let you know if I see any problems. Aren't you joining us for dinner?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No, sir. I have a long day of homework tomorrow for St. Mungo's and dinner plans with the Malfoy family. I'll see you on Thursday."

He nodded with a smile. "Very well, my dear. Thank you for your hard work."

* * *

The next day, Hermione went to Flourish and Blotts in the morning and browsed through a few books on Wizarding History, including Hogwarts, A History. It didn't take long for her to find exactly what she needed. Upon arriving home, she finally wrote a letter to Lucius that wasn't largely about the weather.

 _Dear Lucius,_

 _How are you doing? All is good here, though I am constantly busy._ _I am sorry I have not written more often, but there has not been much to say._ _I am joining your parents for dinner tomorrow night for the first time since their vacation to Crete._ _Antonin seems to be doing okay, though he is eager for the trial against his mother's killers._ _He is upset that they are not to be tried in wizarding court, but considering they have no idea about the magical world, jurisdiction belongs to the muggle police._

 _I have recently started to read more into the history of the Hogwarts founders in my free time. Such fascinating people!_ _It is a shame how scarce information is._ _I was discussing it with the headmaster a few days ago, and he showed me the Sword of Gryffindor!_ _To date, it is the only accounted for artifact that belonged to the founders, other than the Sorting Hat, of course._ _It was stunning, and you could practically feel the power radiating off of it._

 _I wish there were things around that belonged to the other founders. There was supposedly a tiara that belonged to Ravenclaw, though it is practically legend at this point._ _Supposedly, it imparts Ravenclaw's knowledge onto its wearer._ _While I am not sure if I believe that, it would be fantastic to see._

 _A cup is mentioned that belonged to Helga Hufflepuff, but it has gone missing. Cups are not all that fantastic, though._ _I suppose the Hufflepuff reputation for being lackluster extends to their founder as well._ _I imagine she was a formidable witch, though._

 _Understandably, I am most interested in Slytherin. Despite not agreeing with his supposed views, I do have a thing for the misunderstood._ _Of course, maybe I am the one that is misunderstanding him?_ _Regardless, it would be amazing to see something that actually belonged to the man._ _There was supposedly a locket that was his, though I haven't been able to find out who owned it last._ _Perhaps I'll do more research on it._ _However, there was a picture of it in Hogwarts, A History, so it can't have gone missing too long ago._ _While old fashioned, I found it to be uniquely appealing._ _How amazing would it be to own a piece of history like that?_ _Oh well, Edgar was saying that some shops sell cheap replicas of things like that… maybe I'll get one._ _It would piss Bellatrix off to see me wearing my house affiliation, I think._ _I believe she likes to ignore the fact that the house saw me worthy of being there in the first place._ _Anyway, it was quite lovely._ _You should pick up a copy of the book and check it out._

 _Love,_

 _Hera_

Sure, Lucius might smell something fishy. He was not dumb by any means, and he knew that she was quite familiar with Hogwarts, A History already. If she liked the necklace that much, she probably would have mentioned it before. But, all she needed was to be sure that, if asked, he could honestly remember and admit that she had expressed her interest in it.

Despite whatever reason he thought she would have for wanting a replica of Slytherin's locket, she was sure he would see to it that she had one. She also knew that his pride and his expensive taste would dictate that it would _not_ be a cheap replica. It would be as close to the real thing as it could be, and that was exactly what she needed.

* * *

Hermione stood at her fireplace looking nervously at the flames. It was Sunday night, and she was preparing to floo to Malfoy Manor for dinner. She knew she was likely being silly; Adeline would likely skin Abraxas alive if he didn't open up the wards to Hera. Still, she did not like the idea that maybe Abraxas would see his wife's punishment of him to be worth it in exchange for seeing Hermione incapacitated in the dungeons.

Knowing that it would only cause problems to owl them to make sure, she decided to try it out. He had said it had never _killed_ anyone before, and she imagined that if he wanted to hurt her, he would rather see it happen. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed a pinch of floo powder and tossed it in, watching as the flames suddenly started burning the familiar toxic green. She stepped in. "Malfoy Manor," she said, sounding anxious.

The next thing she knew, she was being pitched out of the fireplace none to gently. She fell to her knees. Had he arranged for it to be so violent or had her own nerves when using it caused it to be rougher than usual? She was sure she would never know the answer.

"Hera. How kind of you to join us," Abraxas said from his seat in front of the fire. The way he had been sitting there, watching her, made her believe he might have made her travel a bit harder. He did not look pleased to see her.

She climbed to her feet, staring stonily at her host. "Abraxas. Where is Adeline?"

" _Lady Malfoy_ will be with us in just a few moments, but…"

" _Adeline_ is here now. Come, Abraxas, don't be so juvenile. It is unbecoming of a man of your station," Adeline said, sweeping into the room. Her long, flowing black skirt reminded her of Professor Snape's dramatic robes billowing. "Hello, dear. Dinner is ready. Come, come!"

Hermione and Abraxas both followed the Malfoy matriarch from the room, and Hermione kept her gaze steadily on her back- despite feeling Abraxas's glare turning to her repeatedly. Taking their customary seats at the table, their food was served before conversation started.

"Abraxas is rather frustrated about our positions in the group, Hera. He is particularly upset feeling that you talked me into joining," Adeline said, as she put some peas on her fork and took a bite, looking completely nonplussed.

"I imagined he would be. I had half a mind to wonder if he would open the wards for my arrival or let me go to the dungeons," she replied, glancing at Abraxas.

"The thought had crossed my mind," he said, stabbing at his ham with his fork.

She nodded. "Well, Abraxas, what questions and concerns do you have? I assume that by coming back on time you are proficient enough to control your thoughts? I would offer to test, but I do not have much skill with legilimency," she said, calmly.

"He is a quick study, fortunately. I think it is okay to tell him what we can," Adeline answered for her husband.

Hermione smiled, slightly. "Wonderful. One less thing to worry about. I'll make the explanation as short as possible, then. I helped to form a resistance group to fight against the uprising that Voldemort is trying to carry out. For reasons that can't be explained to you without you being under the same vows we are, we are certain that if Voldemort carries on unchecked, we will have a war that will cause more death and destruction than you are likely imagining. Regardless of your views and if they coincide with my own, I think you would be interested to know that the Malfoy family would stand to be greatly tarnished. I intended to work behind the scenes as much as possible, but Voldemort has taken too much interest in me. I ended up being in the position to join him or likely be killed. Considering I do not want to die, and he would likely extend his wrath onto the people I care about, I felt I had to option but to join. As a result, I have become a spy against him. This, I am sure, does not surprise you."

"I would like to know what has caused you to think it is a good idea to get my family involved in this. Why did Lord Voldemort not seem to be concerned with gaining Lucius as a follower?"

Hermione smiled at Adeline. "Voldemort told me that I am expected to be a leader of sorts. I told him that I did not believe his followers were valued by him, which he didn't deny. He could care less whether any of you are alive if you are not useful to him. I told him that before I would willingly join him, he would have to promise me to never approach Lucius to join in any way. As long as Lucius does not seek him out, Lucius will never make the mistake that you have."

Adeline looked shocked for a moment before reaching across the table and grabbing Hermione's hand. "Thank you, Hera… thank you."

"And what does Lucius think of all of this?" Abraxas said, still looking angry.

"He does not know of my involvement at this time. I made him promise to finish his apprenticeship. When he returns, he will be free to do whatever his conscience dictates," Hermione said, looking at him unflinchingly.

"He will join us, I think," Adeline said, looking equal parts pleased and nervous. "He will want to fight against him, too."

Hermione nodded. "I suspect that will be the case. Regardless, when he comes home, I will tell him the truth. All of it," she said. She looked at Adeline with significance, and Lucius's mother nodded. "All of it" would be even wider than Adeline's own understanding, in truth. She did not wish for the man she married not to even know her true name.

"What secrets are you keeping from me?" Abraxas said, suspiciously.

Hermione frowned. "At this time, I cannot tell you anything else. Adeline and I have both vowed to keep the secrets of our group, including its members and information."

"When will I be allowed such information?" he asked, imperiously.

Adeline glared at her husband. "As soon as you take your head out of your arse, Abe. Voldemort would ruin our family, and you have no idea how thankful you should be to Hera for what she has done for us."

Abraxas stared at Hermione from his seat in silence for a few moments. "And what kind of payment are you expecting for 'saving our family', Miss Elias? I assume you expect me to turn spy as well?"

Sometimes, she really did want to hex the man. He was so… suspicious, but he wasn't nearly as suspicious of select other people as he should be. Not to mention, him being difficult was going to make her job much more difficult. She cocked an eyebrow at him and pursed her lips slightly. "Payment enough will be you not giving me away to your nasty little master."

"He is not my 'master'!" Abraxas said, angrily, looking as if he was about to jump up from the table.

She rolled her eyes. "That's what you think. You call the man 'my lord'. You have decided to look over his faults, of which there are many, because you think that his results are similar to things you would like to see. In the meantime, he is just sucking you further and further in. In the future, he is going to ask you to do some horrible things."

"You don't know that. I have not expressed interest in doing his dirty work, so he has not tasked me with it. I imagine he has a similar arrangement with you," Abraxas said. His knuckles were white around his glass as he glared at her, and Hermione sighed.

"He does have a somewhat similar arrangement with me for now. I don't think I can trust him to keep to it, though. I am knowingly getting into this disgusting mess in order to prevent it from getting too bad. Do you know what is expected of me for now? When any of the rest of you disobey me, he expects me to torture you into submission. While I don't want to hurt you, if you are so sure of his regard for you… test it out. See how little care he has for you. You are just a pawn on his chessboard."

"He has never hurt anyone as far as I know. Even back at Hogwarts! He got an award for Special Services to the school! He caught the person responsible for opening the Chamber of Secrets is what I heard!" Abraxas said, glaring madly.

Hermione sighed, standing from the table. No good would come of this conversation, so she thought it was best to be ended. "No, Abraxas, he didn't. He has already murdered numerous people, even by his own hand. Listen, all I want from you is to not give me away or get in my way. I'm doing what I can to keep us all safe, and it is in your best interest to do the same. Unfortunate as it may seem to you, our fates are tied together for now. I know you are smart, and I truly believe that you are allowing your pride to get in the way. Do not worry, though… he will chip any pride you have away from you."

She looked at Adeline from the doorway and was sad to see that the woman was in tears. She smiled at her friend. "Have faith, Adeline. Goodnight."

* * *

The first year Hermione had as a teacher ended without too much excitement. She had not been asked to attend any more of Voldemort's engagements since the last dinner she had shared with him, and she had gotten back to a point of being able to live in the moment.

The thing she had most loved about sharing her teaching position with the headmaster was the fact that she had not had to interact with the seventh years much at all. As a result, Bellatrix had not been much of a problem for her. Sure, whenever the Black daughter saw her, she glared at Hermione. They had, however, passed the year with relatively few words spoken between them.

She was disappointed, though not surprised, that Bellatrix had graduated top of her class. The Daily Prophet had not mentioned any future plans for her, but Hermione was sure that Bellatrix's plans likely included Tom Riddle. Rodolphus was learning how to handle his father's spellbook publishing business. Strange Brews Publishing had been long out of business by the time Hermione had joined the wizarding world, and she suspected the imprisonment of the future CEO would be the cause.

It was at the end of the first week of July that an impressive owl pecked on her windowsill. She opened it quickly to allow the bird out of the rain and removed the envelope. Opening it up, she was greeted with a rather obnoxiously ornate invitation in green and black. Seriously? Even the invitation had to be Slytherin inspired? Embossed emerald snakes were charmed to slither along the edges, stopping occasionally to sniff the air with long silver tongues.

 _The honour of Your Presence is Requested_

 _At the Binding Ceremony of_

 _Bellatrix Elladora Black_

 _And_

 _Rodolphus Atreus Lestrange_

 _On Saturday, the 15_ _th_ _of September_

 _Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Three_

 _At Five o' Clock in the Afternoon_

 _Lestrange Manor_

 _Reception to Follow_

She wondered if it was going to become a habit to be "disappointed, but not surprised" regarding her interaction with the crazed witch. She did not see Rodolphus very often, and he made it a point to _not_ speak about his betrothed. Though, she supposed she would have heard if he had broken their arrangement. Still, she felt bad for her fun-loving friend. Bellatrix would not make her husband happy regardless of the dangerous decisions she would, undoubtedly, steer him toward.

It did cause a moment's enjoyment to imagine Bellatrix's face when she realized that she would have to invite Hermione to her wedding. Hermione was quite sure that, aside from her friendship with Rodolphus, her presence indeed _had_ been requested. Cygnus Black was not quite stupid enough to not invite her to his daughter's wedding. It would put him at risk of seeming unsupportive of the Dark Lord's decisions regarding who would serve him.

Still, she hoped she would get to be there when Bellatrix realized that her respect would be expected as well. Of course, maybe Cygnus had already warned his daughter…

She pulled out the other small bit of parchment from inside of the enveloped and filled it out quickly before sending it off. Regretfully, Hera Elias would be attending, and she would be eating the chicken. Immediately after that, she sent out a letter to Antonin and Rodolphus. It had been too long.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Thank you again for your reviews and kind words. I am happy you are all enjoying the story! Next chapter will involve a friendly reunion with Antonin and Rodolphus, Snapes, and a bit of Lucius mixed in. Please review!

Also, a favour to my artistic readers out there. I would love for someone to give some time to come up with some artwork for both BBLS and TBS. My level of ability begins and ends with rather fantastic stick figures. If interested, I have some ideas of what I would ideally want. Or, if you wish, come up with something on your own. FYI, I am not a big fan of anime (sorry...). A sketch is more along the lines of what I have in mind. If interested and willing, please PM me. Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I still don't own or profit from writing this, but JK Rowling sure does!_

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Four**

The following Thursday evening, Hermione left the school and walked into the Three Broomsticks. Upon seeing her, Madam Rosmerta quickly pointed to the table in the corner where her two friends were already seated. She walked over and smiled at them as she sat down next to Antonin, smiling widely at them both.

"Hello boys!"

Antonin nodded, taking a sip of his beer while Rodolphus responded. "Hi, Hera. Wow, it is so much nicer not to have to call you 'professor' anymore," he said, smiling lightly.

She laughed in response. "Really? Did you ever _actually_ say it? I feel like you just talked without addressing me whenever I saw you," she replied. While Rodolphus had just graduated and spent the entire school year in dueling, they had not seen much of each other. Dumbledore had, of course, been responsible for teaching him, and Hermione was rarely at the school.

"I tried to avoid it," he admitted, smirking.

Antonin raised a finger to Madam Rosmerta who quickly brought over a pint of butterbeer for Hermione. She smiled in thanks as she took her first sip. "How are the both of you doing?"

Rodolphus shrugged. "Fine, I guess. My father is a bit of a slave driver, and I haven't done a good job of hiding the fact that I could care less about publishing a bunch of books I have no intention to read."

Antonin looked at Rodolphus with his own grin. "And other things? I received the most… unique of wedding invitations a few weeks ago."

Rodolphus' lip twitched as he rolled his eyes. "Hideous, wasn't it? I swear she would have inked it with Slytherin's vomit if it was available."

Hermione laughed, "At least I am not the only Slytherin who thinks that it can be overdone…"

Both boys laughed in response, but when it tapered off, Hermione took Rodolphus's hand. "Are you sure, Rod? I mean, divorce is not exactly easy in the wizarding world. That, and I think the only person who finds her as horrible as Lucius and I might actually be you."

"Obviously, you are forgetting someone," Antonin said, dryly.

Rodolphus sighed and took a big sip from his glass before nodding. "Unfortunately, in this instance, I was sorted into the right house. Apparently, I lack the balls that Lucius inherited from who knows where… my father would disinherit me for breaking off the engagement, and I can't leave Rabastan to deal with him alone. Have you ever met my father?"

Hermone shook her head, while Antonin nodded in understanding.

"My father would ruin any prospects I have of being gainfully employed in Britain if I defied him. I would have to leave to get any sort of worthwhile job, and there I would have no connections. Additionally, my father has never treated Rabastan well. For whatever reason, they just don't get along well, and I don't think my father would set him up well. I need to be around for my brother. So, it is either marry Bellatrix to keep my father happy and my brother safe or leave and risk everything going to hell." Rodolphus looked miserable, and Hermione sighed as she squeezed his hand.

"I'm sorry, Rodolphus," she said, quietly.

Rodolphus shrugged. "Well, there is a bright side. If, after ten years, we haven't had any children, I can revoke the binding and contract. My father would understand and approve of it under those circumstances. So, for ten years, I just have to make sure I don't have any kids with her. I've taken steps, though I hope you will keep that between us," he said, smirking.

Antonin and Hermione exchanged looks before nodding. "A waste of ten years, though," Hermione said, sadly.

He shrugged. "Eh, at this point, I have wrapped my head around it. I'll just stay away as much as possible. I've already spoken with Father about potentially expanding the business to the continent, so I should have an excuse to travel soon. Plus, he has other things that he does that he might let me help with that would keep me out of the country."

The news of Rodolphus's plans made a lot of sense. By the time ten years had passed, Rodolphus would be losing his mind in Azkaban if she didn't prevent it. They had never had children as far as Hermione knew.

"Enough about that," Rodolphus said, looking at them from his seat across the table. "What have both of you been up to lately? The rest of the gang? I felt so cut off when all of you graduated on me."

Antonin shrugged. "I have been fine, I suppose. Very busy," he said, quietly.

"I hate to ask, but… what happened with the guys who…." Rodolphus looked at him, meaningfully, causing Antonin to sigh.

"You remember when we watched that movie about those muggle drug dealers? They said they were trying to just rob her for money to buy some more, but when she started to fight back, they just lost it. After they killed her, they all scattered. The one that was caught first gave up the other two later, but he didn't even know how he got the jewelry by the time he was in the pawn shop selling it. Didn't even know he'd just killed her or that blood was all over him."

"Why would anyone do anything that would make them like that?" Rodolphus said, quietly.

"The sentencing is soon?" Hermione asked, disturbed by the information. She had known, of course, that some people had extreme reactions to some illegal drugs, but she had known someone to be hurt by it.

"Already happened. The first one of them is getting twenty years, and other two are getting thirty-five," Antoinin replied, looking into his glass, sadly.

Rodolphus glared, "Not long enough."

Hermione scooted closer to Antonin and put her hand on his arm, "I'm sorry, Antonin. I am happy they caught them, though… and that they will be going away for a long time."

Antonin didn't look at her, but nodded once. After a moment, he spoke again. "My father is still not coping very well. He's not drinking as much, but… well, he is angry all of the time. Actually, he said you saw him recently? You both had dinner together?" Antonin raised an eyebrow at her, frowning.

"Dinner with Vaughn Dolohov, Hera? Why?" Rodolphus asked, surprised.

Hermione sighed. "I was invited to a dinner party by Lord Voldemort. It was not just the two of us, Rodolphus."

"Yes, so he said," Antonin said, his expression unchanging. "Don't get me wrong… who you associate with is your business, but I was under the impression that you did not _like_ Lord Voldemort. Was I wrong?"

Hermione was not sure what a good answer would be in that moment. She didn't want to push them toward Voldemort, but she didn't want Voldemort to think she was keeping her friends away, either. "I… I wouldn't say that I like the man, but he seems to like me. He wants to teach me some things, and he is expecting my help with some stuff."

"Does Lucius know?" Antonin asked, looking slightly angry. "What are you doing for him, Hera?"

She shrugged, though she was sure it didn't look nearly as careless as she wanted. "He is trying to make some changes in society… things your father is also wanting. He thinks I can help him with that."

"My father said he wants to meet with me," Antonin said, "I guess I should, then?"

Hermione took a sip of her butterbeer to avoid answering for a moment. Finally, she sat her cup down. "I… I can't answer that. All I will say is that he is not a man to be trifled with. I think he might expect too much of the people he is wanting help from. I do not think his offer to teach me will be extended to you. I think that, if I were in your shoes, I might try to avoid him."

Rodolphus was frowning at her. "You know, when I told Bellatrix that you were to be invited to the wedding, she fought tooth and nail. I thought she wouldn't actually send you an invitation and planned to go around her… and then you had RSVP'd. Do you think your connection with Voldemort has anything to do with that?"

She levelled a stare at him. "It's likely. Listen, do what you think you should be doing. If you speak with him, pay attention to what he is saying and what he might _not_ be saying. If you join him, I do not want it to be something you would one day regret. How about you ask Lucius about all of this? He might have better insight than I can give you."

"So, he does know?" Antonin asked, seriously.

"He doesn't know, _yet_ , that Lord Voldemort has reached out to me, personally. I will tell him as soon as he is home, but I won't distract him from his apprenticeship with things he can't do anything about. I just… I don't think you should look to me for advice on whether or not to get involved."

Both of them were frowning, before Rodolphus said, dryly, "That is not a ringing endorsement…"

Hermione said nothing else and shifted her focus to her beer. After several tense moments, she heard Rodolphus sigh. "I hear that Edgar and Anna are getting pretty serious," he said, finally changing the subject.

Hermione looked up and smiled. "Yes. I think we might get more wedding invitations within the year," she said, thankful.

* * *

At the beginning of August, Hermione was just pulling the roast she had made out of the oven when the wards tingled. She smiled as she walked toward the door and opened it, seeing Eileen and Severus standing there. "Eileen! I wasn't expecting you to join us, but I have plenty extra. Do you like pot roast?"

Eileen was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Yes, thank you for allowing me to join both of you."

Severus followed his mother in, looking decidedly morose. Hermione squeezed his shoulder as they passed into the kitchen. Eileen looked at the steaming dish on the stovetop and then at Hermione. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked, politely.

"No, no… take a seat. Severus, can you get us something to drink?" Severus walked to the cabinet with the glasses and pulled out three, and then pulled some pumpkin juice from the refrigerator. He was, at this point, quite comfortable in Hermione's home, and it was a fact that made Hermione very happy. In the meantime, Hermione filled their plates while Eileen watched them move around each other from her seat.

After everyone was seated with their food, Hermione smiled. "Severus, I saw that your potion was published in _The Practical Potioneer_!"

Eileen looked at her son with pride, as Severus nodded. "Yes. The United States branch of Potions Monthly also owled with intent to publish it. Although, they are also wanting a short biography to publish alongside of it. Mum is helping me write it. There isn't much to say, though."

"I'm sure 13 year old Potion inventor will be interesting enough. Are you working on anything new now?"

He shook his head. "I'm trying to figure out how to cut down steps of harder potions. It seems like a few alterations can greatly improve the results of a few that I have looked at. I haven't been able to test out my theories, though, being away from Hogwarts."

Hermione smiled, "Well, if I am home, you are welcome to come work in my lab. I don't want you to do any experimenting on your own. Perhaps Abraxas would let you use the lab at the manor?" Abraxas had taken an interest in Severus throughout his second year, and had declined to receive any royalties from the potion Severus has created. Instead, Severus had changed the official name of the altered Black Fire Potion to the Malfoy Feu Noir potion to honor the Malfoy's French background. He and Abraxas had since been exchanging letters somewhat regularly.

He nodded. "I suppose that is a possibility. Before, I was concerned about using up his ingredients, but with the royalties that will be coming in, I could use my own money to purchase them."

Eileen looked at her son, proudly, "Severus is going to be a wonderful potions master one day."

Hermione smiled at Eileen, "I have no doubt Severus will be wonderful at whatever he puts his mind to. How are you doing, Eileen?"

Eileen silently ate a few more bites of her food. "I told you I would let you know. The mill is closing up, Tobias was given notice today."

Hermione nodded, frowning. "I am sorry to hear that. Please feel free to reach out if there is anything I can do to help."

"Nothing more than what we discussed last time," Eileen said, vaguely. The message was received, though. It didn't make too much of a difference. Severus had been spending more and more time at Hermione's house, and he was eating regularly there with her. He looked healthy, if a bit lanky. He had grown three inches since school let out, she was sure.

"Of course," Hermione replied. "Have you been doing any spell work lately?"

Eileen shook her head, lightly. "Not much at all. You were right. Magic is a bit like a muscle. Now, Tobias will be home a lot more so I don't see myself doing much more, either."

Hermione frowned, "Well, my door is always open, Eileen."

The rest of the meal passed quickly, at least for Eileen. The older woman ate the rest of her food quickly before standing. "I was thinking Severus could sleep here tonight, if that is okay with you. I think we will need a few days to adjust."

Hermione looked at Severus. The boy was staring down at his plate, pushing the carrots across his plate. "That is fine, Eileen. I was hoping Severus could help me with an advanced nausea potion. It is much easier with two sets of hands."

"That's fine," Severus said, still not looking up.

Eileen kissed the top of Severus's head before going toward the door. "Thank you for dinner, Hera. Have a good night."

Once she was gone, Severus sighed. "Things are going to get much worse, aren't they?" he whispered.

Hermione reached over, grabbing his hand. She didn't know what to say. She suspected things weren't going to improve anytime soon. "I don't know, Severus, but I will be here for it no matter what."

He looked at her, and she was sad to note the tears swimming in his dark eyes. "How… how do I go back to Hogwarts? If I do, I won't be able to help her."

She frowned. "Severus, though you are exceptionally bright and mature for your age, you are still a child. It is not your job to protect your mother. She is a grown woman that is free to make her own decisions, even if you don't agree with them. I think it will actually be easier on her for you to be away. She loves you very much, and she worries about you being there."

"That's why I have been over here so much this summer, isn't it?" he asked, his voice shaking.

She shrugged, "That… and the fact that I like having you here with me. No one is making me be a friend to you, Sev."

He sighed and nodded before moving his hand to pick up his fork again. "Thanks."

* * *

Six days before the start of the Hogwarts term of 1973-1974, Hermione was seated in her small living room studying when her wards tingled. Surprise lit up her features before she jumped off the couch and swung open the door. Lucius was walking down the small brick path to her front door with a smile on his face. She could swear he was becoming more and more handsome as he aged. His hair was just a few inches shy of his elbows now, and he had grown out his facial hair a little bit. She was sure his shoulders had broadened by a few inches, and his body was firm and muscular. He looked dangerous and rugged while still seeming to hang on to his aristocratic background. Seeing that he seemed pleased to be coming to her, she allowed herself the abandon to run from the house and jump into his arms.

She hadn't seen him at all during the summer, and their correspondence left a lot to be desired. She had started to think that maybe he thought being with her was too much hassle. The feel of his arms wrapping tightly around her to support her weight against him was vastly reassuring. She pulled back and put her hands to his cheeks, smiling. "Lucius…" she said, reverently, smiling widely.

"I've missed you," he said back as his large hands squeezed her a bit more to him. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips softly against hers. When they pulled back, she had to struggle not to wipe at her wet eyes. He released her to the ground, and she smiled up at him as she grabbed his hands and led him to the house.

Once the door was shut behind them, she let the questions spill forth. "How long are you here for? Is there a reason you are here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming? Will you be staying here tonight? Do you know how much I have missed you?"

He chuckled, softly as he pulled her to sit on his lap on the couch. "I'm just here for the night and tomorrow. I thought you might enjoy the surprise, and I am happy I was right. Of course I will be staying here. My parents don't even know that I am in the country. And, I am not sure if it is possible you have missed me as much as I have missed you. How are you?"

She sighed, relaxing against his chest. Somehow, he had made her little house feel more like a home just by coming inside. "I've been very busy, but I think I will have to take off tomorrow to spend with you. That should be fine, though. My lesson plans are prepared for the first half of the year, and I now will have every Friday off from St. Mungo's entirely so that I can teach smaller classes; two for each of years two through four."

He nodded, smiling. "Have you decided what you will do when you are finished with your healer training next Spring?"

She shook her head. "I haven't gotten an official job offer from Dumbledore, but I would accept if he offered a full time teaching position there."

"That sounds like something you would enjoy. Perhaps you could help in the hospital wing as well?"

Hermione smiled brightly and nodded. "How about you, Lucius? How is your apprenticeship going?" she asked, eagerly. She felt positively giddy at his presence.

"Before we get to that, I have something I want to give you," he said. He moved her slightly to reach into his robes and pulled out a black velvet box slightly bigger than her hand. "Do you know what today is?"

She shook her head, looking at the box with anticipation. She hoped she knew what was inside of it, but she didn't want to be presumptuous.

"Two years ago…I decided to take a swim in the lake to get my mind off of a very frustrating ball…."

She blushed as the memories flashed before her eyes. He had looked like Adonis as he had come out of the lake before her. She remembered herself running away from him, and him dispelling the boggart in the garden shed, and…

"Our first kiss," she said, softly.

He nodded, smiling. "Yes. I am so happy that I gave in to what I wanted to do. I don't know how I could possibly be happy without you. So, I just bought you something to make note of the day. I hope you like it." He opened the box, and she inhaled a deep breath.

If it wasn't for the fact that the thing she was looking at did not radiate evil, she could easily confuse it for Slytherin's locket. It was a perfect replica from what she could see. "You said you liked it, so I had one made for you. I have a feeling that you were pushing me to get you one, but I am not going to ask why at this time. If I am on the right track, I agreed to not ask questions… though I am stupefied as to how this can help."

She smiled as she touched the locket with one finger. "It is perfect. Thank you, Lucius."

He nodded. "Now, regarding our agreement. You said that once I finish my apprenticeship, I can come home and you will tell me what is going on. Correct?" he looked at her steadily, and she wasn't sure she liked the gleam in his eyes.

Still, she had promised. "Yes…" she answered, hesitantly.

"In that case, I wanted to let you know that I have talked it over with Master Kuzmina. I told him that I was wanting to return home as soon as possible, and he has been working me harder than ever. He said that, at this pace, he believes I can pass my mastery by next March rather than November. So, I will be coming home a lot sooner than expected."

Confliction struck her. On the one hand, the idea of Lucius being near to her again was everything she could hope for. But, if he knew, he would want to help in some way. She didn't want him risking his life. Still, with all of the deceit and ultimatums, she could not start breaking her promises to him as well. She smiled, though she could tell it was a bit tense. "I am happy to hear that, and I am very proud of how hard you have been working. I'm just nervous for you to return, Lucius."

He nodded, squeezing her around the waist. "I know, love. Please try to understand my point of view, though. I love you, and I feel like it is my job to protect you and make sure you have everything you need. I know you might think that is archaic, but it is how I feel. It kills me to be away from you and not know what you are doing or if you are in danger. I need to be with you and help how I can, and I want to do that as soon as possible."

She sighed but nodded. "I know… When you get back, I will tell you everything you could possibly want to know. But, I will need to know that information is safe. You need to work on Occlumency, and if it isn't to a certain point, I cannot tell you because it would be dangerous. And you will need to be prepared to make a vow or two with me, quite possibly."

He smirked as he reached a hand up and pushed some hair behind her ear. "Hera, I fully intend to be exchanging vows with you," he whispered.

She inhaled at his insinuation, and then melted as he leaned in to press his lips to hers.

As Hermione lay in bed the next morning with Lucius's arms wrapped around her, she wondered how much she could get done by the time he arrived back. She cursed his ambition and determination, then. He could have had an extra six months of relative safety, but he was insistent to get home to her. Fortunately, thanks to the new necklace Lucius had had made for her, she could start on some more dangerous work, and she knew exactly when it would start.

The Black-Lestrange wedding was, undoubtedly, black tie, and she had the perfect necklace to wear. She was sure it would cause quite a stir, and she had hopes it would serve more than just its intended purpose. Bellatrix was bound to _love_ her wearing a replica of Slytherin's locket. As for her plans, she hoped it would be an interesting conversation starter with the Dark Lord. It would be the perfect chance to make the dark lord potentially worry about the security of his horcruxes. Perhaps, he would go ahead and attempt to take the locket to the cave… or entrust his prized possession to someone who would greatly value and care for the priceless relic. At the very least, he might think of showing off his Hufflepuff cup. Considering she knew all of his inner circle and knew where he had hidden all of the horcruxes, she thought the timing was as good as it possibly could be. Perhaps she could count on getting a few of them before the Lucius returned home.

She was distracted from her planning as kisses started to be placed against her bare back. She sighed with a smile, putting her hand on the pale one wrapped around her waist. "Good morning, Lucius," she greeted.

He pulled her onto her back and leaned over her, smiling. "Morning, love," he said, his voice still rough with sleep. She smiled at the sun shining through the window and onto his blonde hair. She reached her hand up, running her hand down the side of his face.

"I think you are the only person I have ever thought looked _good_ with long hair," she said, smiling as she lightly tugged on a piece. Of course, it suited Albus Dumbledore, but she certainly did not ever take long to think about the centenarian's appearance. Bill Weasley had been passible, but she always thought he would have looked better with it short. With Ron, she had gotten annoyed if it even touched his ears. Too much and too red.

"I _am_ one of a kind," he replied, smirking at her. "What about Father's?"

She shrugged. "It's okay. It's a little too thin, but that could just be age, I suppose. Your hair, though… it is quite embarrassing when I know people think you hair looks better than mine."

He chuckled, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "I think your hair is perfect. You look wild…intimidating… and I think when people see us they always suspect that you recently let me have my way with you."

She laughed, reaching her hands up to wrap around his back. "Are you going to be here for Rudolphus's wedding?"

He shook his head. "Can't. When I made this agreement with Master Kuzmina, it really was to work like mad until spring. I won't be home at Christmas, either. You are always welcome to come visit though," he said, looking excited at the prospect. She nodded back, kissing him gently.

"Will you be ready to come home then?" she asked, "I told you I can't tell you much of anything until you are."

He nodded. "I think my defenses will be good at Christmas, actually. I've already been working on it in my spare time, ever since our discussion. If you come at Christmas, I will know for sure. Then, if it isn't good enough, I can come up with a reason to stay in Russia for a little bit longer. I don't want to risk you in any way; I just want to be involved, and I am tired of secrets between us."

She frowned, not meeting his eyes. "I know." And she did. She was also sick of the secrets and lies. When she was confident in him, she was going to tell him everything, including how she had come through time on his orders. Considering he _was_ a Malfoy, it would not be a breach of trust to tell him about the time travelling device. Then, she could carry on her life with him without feeling like she was deceiving him. "Before I tell you everything, I will want you to meet with someone that can adequately test your shields. So, I will need you to come back here for just a few hours during Christmas to do that."

Dumbledore was a good enough Legilimens to test Lucius, and he knew exactly why Lucius would need the skill. She knew he would be willing, too. It sometimes struck her as strange how different this Dumbledore seemed to be to her own. He was much more likeable, and he did seem to legitimately care about the well-being of others. She had been surprised when he had made vows to the Order, promising to not send them off to their deaths. Apparently, learning the mistakes he would have made and the damage he had caused had been sobering enough for him not to stumble down the path he had originally winded up on.

"That can be arranged, but I would rather not tell my parents. They would want to see me, and I just won't have the time. In fact, when you visit, I'll still be busy during the day. I'll be able to see you and show you things at night and on Christmas and Boxing Day, but that will probably be all."

She shrugged. "Not a problem. It will give me an excuse to not attend the family ball," she said, smirking.

He laughed, "I feel so much better with the end in sight. I'm sorry I have been so… out of touch."

She shook her head, smiling sadly. "I'm sorry I had to make such harsh demands. Thank you for not holding it against me. Also, I am not sure I can blame you. It is hard to think of anything to talk about when so much of what is going on is either completely mundane or something I _can't_ tell you."

"Well, I will admit that I was rather mad, but I do understand your reasoning. I just hope you don't have any other big surprises and plans for me," he said, chuckling.

Hermione felt sick.

"I should floo call St. Mungo's and tell them I won't be in today," she said, pulling gently out of his arms and out of the bed.

"I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leave," he teased, watching her bare backside as she walked toward the door.

She turned when her hand was on the door knob, smirking. "Well, I hope you like to watch me return, but love to watch me come, too. I'll be back in a few minutes. Maybe a quick tooth scrub?"

* * *

Author's Note: So, I had a crazy writing period a few days ago. 10k words in the span of a few hours. It got dark, and I felt like if I stopped in the middle of "depressing/intense" mode that I would have trouble starting again. Fortunately, the major hurdle is passed. Not that anything is much light hearted anymore. You are still a good 5 chapter away at least, though.

Please review! I love to hear your thoughts! If you have any questions or concerns, please ask! I love to field questions! The downside to a rather unpopular pairing is a much smaller readership. I appreciate all of you, and hope that your reviews will get the word out! Share the love!


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer Haiku:_

 _I do not profit_

 _Rowling owns Harry Potter_

 _I wish I did, though._

 _*Poetry is not my forte, though I did once write a sonnet using iambic pentameter about how I was bound to get an awful grade on said sonnet. It started with (and was titled) "The paper bleeds, slashed by a modern quill."_

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Five**

On the last day of August, Hermione met Severus in her living room with a smile on her face. "Are you ready to go?" she asked, beaming.

Eileen had decided it would be best if Severus did his school shopping and spent the last night before London at Hera's home. Tobias had, apparently, been in quite a horrible state since the loss of his job. A good amount of it was spent passed out drunk, but when he was awake, his mood was unstable at best. Hermione suspected he had been not so keen on the idea of Severus going back to school at all, and Eileen was making sure Severus made it back to Hogwarts.

Severus nodded, looking over his school list with a frown. "I think I will need new robes, too," he said, looking up at her.

She chuckled and nodded. At half way to fourteen, Severus had come to be few inches taller than her own 5'6" frame. He had grown tremendously over the summer. "You certainly will. I expect your old ones wouldn't even touch your ankles. In fact, I would recommend that we see if Madam Malkin would be willing to make it a few inches longer than they should be and hem it. I suspect you will be too tall for them by spring, otherwise."

"It's such a waste of money, though. My mother doesn't…" he started.

Hermione cut him off. "Your mother is very proud of the accomplishments you have made. Use the money she has saved for you… allow her to provide what she can. She is your mother and wants to do it. Do not worry; if I notice she needs more, then I will find a way of getting it to her. If you need extra, you can just use money from your own vault."

Severus nodded, resolutely. "Fine. Maybe I'll try to get several extra inches in so that they might work for next year, too."

"That sounds great. Come on! I'm treating for ice cream once we finish, and I hear Florean has six new flavours out. Don't want it to all be gone by the time we get there!" She led Severus to the fireplace and practically pushed him in once the flames turned green.

Once arriving in Diagon Alley, she looked at Severus with a grin. "So, where to first?"

"Gringotts, naturally." She was slightly surprised when he took her arm and placed it on his, leading her gently down the street. She smirked in amusement, and Severus blushed when he saw her side glance.

"Lord Malfoy wrote to me saying that it was a good time to start behaving in a way that befits the status I wish to have. He sent an etiquette book. It said that a gentleman always escorts a lady down the street."

Hermione laughed. "Ah, Pureblood Society and Etiquette for the Interloper. I am quite familiar with it, too. Lord Malfoy has certainly taken a shine to you."

Severus shrugged, and Hermione shoved his shoulder with hers. "Although, it might go away if you shrug too much. Abraxas _hates_ shrugging."

He frowned, looking as if he was committing the knowledge to memory. "I will keep that in mind. I am happy he has been so generous. The potions lab at the manor is better than even Hogwarts, I think. He is always interested in what I am doing, too. He even gave me this great obsidian knife for fine cutting."

Hermione's eyebrows raised. "That is remarkable. Obsidian is not cheap, even by Malfoy standards. I am happy you decided to start going over there a bit."

The visit to Gringotts passed easily, as Hermione simply waited in the cart while Severus went into his vault. He had come out saying he had not quite realized how much money his potion had made. While not rich by any means, he had enough to most likely pay for any school supplies and robes he would need until graduation.

After leaving the bank, they had next went to take care of the robes. As it was the last day before school, they would need to get the order in quite early to have them done that day. On the way there, Hermione convinced Severus to buy a pair of dueling robes, stating that they moved more freely through the shoulders due to extra material that gave them a slight billow. She had walked to another room in the shop, looking at the women's robes while Severus was measured.

She was just walking back when she heard a familiar voice. "You could never hope to look good, Snivellus, but with those shoulders, you look like you are being swallowed. Might be for the best though… perhaps those robes are big enough that they can cover your ugly face, too."

Hermione walked angrily around the corner to see James Potter glaring at Severus. She was standing in their peripheral vision. She also saw Charlus walk in to stand behind his son at the same time. Charlus's eyes narrowed on the back of his son's head, and Hermione smirked to see that James didn't realize that either adult was there.

"You should just stay home from Hogwarts to spare yourself the embarrassment. No one wants you there, anyway… people only pity you."

Charlus's hand swung back and flew forward, smacking his son on the back of the head roughly. "James! Is this why you came in here? I didn't raise you to behave like this!"

James looked up at his father, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sorry, father," he said, sullenly.

Charlus glared. "I am not the one you should be apologizing to, James."

James's eyes widened, but seeing his father was not going to change his mind, he turned to Severus angrily.

"I apologize, Sniv…Snape."

He then saw Hermione standing toward his right and went slightly pale. "Professor Elias, what are you doing here?"

Hermione kept her face neutral as she walked to stand next to Severus, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I brought Mr. Snape to get his school supplies for the year. He is my neighbor. Did you not realize that?" she said, stonily.

James shook his head, glancing at her and then back to his father, worriedly.

She nodded. "I expected as much. Unfortunately, I did not expect for my charge to be verbally accosted today, especially unprovoked. You are lucky this did not happen in my class," she said. She turned her gaze to Charlus and smiled slightly. "It is good to see you, Mr. Potter. How are you and Mrs. Potter doing?"

Charlus smiled back, "We are doing well. I am significantly less happy than I was ten minutes ago. We were headed to Quality Quidditch to look at a new broom for James, but I don't think we will be doing that now. I am in the mood to take him home, I think."

"I understand. James's behavior was a lot better last year than his first, from what I could tell. A shame that he has reverted."

Charlus nodded, frowning down at his son. "Yes, apparently, our conversation about common decency and civility did not take. I wonder if I could get your help?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow, smirking. "In what way?"

"Considering James will be leaving for school in the morning, I am unable to ground him. Perhaps you would be willing to hold a few detentions for my son to see the ramifications of being a coward and a bully?"

"Coward?!" James protested.

"Yes. You say things that you would be too cowardly to stand behind with me or your professor here. And you wouldn't dare challenge someone you thought would fight back. Coward,"Charlus said, frowning. "Miss Elias?"

Hermione smiled, "Whatever you think is fair, Charlus."

Charlus nodded. "No broom. Perhaps that will change at Christmas if I don't hear of any more of this atrocious behavior. You'll have to do with your Cleansweep 5 until then. And… eight hours of detention, to be divided out as your professor sees fit. Whatever menial labor you can think of, Miss Elias."

Hermione smiled and nodded. "Professor Slughorn was mentioning how he wanted his ingredients storage to be cleaned and reorganized. I am sure he will appreciate the help. I'll arrange it so that one of us can supervise."

Charlus nodded, "Very good." He looked at Severus then. "Mr. Snape, I apologize for my son's abominable behavior and applaud your restraint. You wouldn't, by chance, be the Severus Snape recently published in Potions Monthly?"

Severus nodded, and Hermione watched James's eyes widen.

"Quite an accomplishment! I was very impressed when I read that you had created it at only thirteen years old. Maturity and decorum always yield worthy results. A lesson we all should learn…" he glared at James, once more. "Do you have plans to seek a mastery once you graduate?"

Severus nodded again, his cheeks pink.

"Well, when you do, please seek me out. I sit on the board for Smithers Potion's. Several masters there take apprentices. We largely supply St. Mungo's, and are always eager for talented potioneers. It was nice to have met you."

"Thank you, sir," Severus stammered, struggling not to smirk at James.

Charlus looked around. "Well, I had best be getting James home. Have a good day, both of you." Charlus looked at his son and then pointed at the door, and James went without hesitation, cheeks burning. Hermione and Severus called out their own farewells as the Potters left.

Madam Malkin walked up then from where she had been standing for the past few minutes, not willing to interrupt. "Well, I think we have your order taken care of. Do you want to pick them up near closing or have them owled to you?"

Hermione smiled at the seamstress, "We can set it up for them to be delivered to my home," she said. They quickly followed the owner to a desk, and Hermione wrote down her address as Severus paid.

* * *

After finishing their shopping for the day, Hermione eagerly led Severus to Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor to try the new flavors. Despite Hermione's urging that Severus live a bit on the wild side, the boy selected a simple vanilla. Hermione, on the other hand, chose the new Unconditional Chocolate. It was a milk chocolate ice cream with swirls of chocolate syrup and small chunks of creamy dark chocolate spread throughout. She had requested the addition of the tiny freeze-dried marshmallows used in hot chocolate. Upon the first lick from the cone, her eyes widened, and she grabbed Severus's free hand, pulling him to a table.

"Is everything okay?" Severus asked, eyeing her as she stared at her ice cream cone.

"I chose it on a whim. I don't particularly care of chocolate, and have only been in the mood for ice cream recently. This ice cream, though… stop speaking to me, so that I can focus on it."

Severus looked at her as if she was crazy, but she didn't care. She felt the cone with both hands and took slow, deliberate licks, watching it obsessively.

"Sometimes, you seem so mature… and then there are moments like these…" he murmured. She didn't respond.

She was only about halfway done with her dessert when she was startled from her thoughts. "Ah, Miss Elias. What a coincidence, running into you here!"

Hermione looked up to see the elder Dolohov and Nott. She smiled slightly, trying to look at ease. Vaughn seemed nice enough, but Roderick's father seemed calculating. "Mr. Dolohov and Mr. Nott. I confess I am a bit surprised to see you here. I suppose even adults like ice cream, though," she responded.

Vaughn laughed. "Miss Elias, I think you can count yourself as an adult as well. To be honest, I am not much of a fan of ice cream, but we saw you sitting here and decided to stop by. Who is this with you?"

Hermione glanced at Severus, who was looking neutrally at the men as he continued to eat from his bowl of vanilla.

"My apologies. Severus Snape is going to be starting his third year tomorrow in Slytherin. I came to help him get his school supplies," she said. She then motioned to the men.

"Severus, may I introduce Mr. Vaughn Dolohov and Mr. Niall Nott? You are familiar with their sons, Antonin and Roderick," she introduced.

Severus nodded politely. "It is nice to meet you both, sirs."

Nott nodded back in acknowledgement before looking again to Hermione. "Can I assume that Dumbledore is entrusting more responsibilities to you? After all, usually a head of house would help a student in need like this…"

Hermione chuckled. "No, no. Severus happens to live in the same town as I do. His mother has been unable to bring him and asked if I might include him in one of my own trips here."

Vaughn raised an eyebrow. "Antonin told me that you live in a muggle town. Is Mr. Snape here a mud… muggleborn?"

Hermione raised her own eyebrow with a slight glare. Obviously, Vaughn's indoctrination was going _swimmingly._ He had been married to one of those _mudbloods_. "Vaughn," she started, but was interrupted.

"I'm not a muggleborn. I'm a half blood," he said, sounding slightly defensive.

"Ahh. And are you a good student?" Niall said, looking at Severus, seriously.

Before Severus could respond, Hermione spoke up. "He's… adequate, I suppose. Didn't do so well in Transfiguration, though, did you, Severus? Your mother was quite sour about that. He's a bit lackadaisical, but I hope that will change. "

Severus's cheeks tinged pink in embarrassment. While Transfiguration was his weakest subject, he was third in his class, just behind Potter and Black. And he was upset at the fact that she'd said he was simply _adequate_. And _lackadaisical?_ He certainly was not.

Before he could protest, Hermione pressed her foot down on his with enough pressure to get his attention. He didn't understand _why_ , but he bit his tongue and backed down. "Yes, professor," he said, softly. His eyes went to the table.

Niall chuckled, and Vaughn smirked as he looked at Severus's bowed head. Nott then turned his attention to Hera again.

"I'm surprised Lucius stays away so much. Antonin told us at dinner that he isn't even coming home for the Black-Lestrange wedding. Is that true?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. Master Kuzmina is a good but tough master. Lucius is also hoping to finish his work earlier than expected."

Niall smiled lightly. "Well, Roderick always speaks very highly of you. Perhaps you could reach out to him a bit? He needs to make for friends within our… _association_. And he seems quite taken with you."

Hermione chuckled. Roderick certainly hadn't been taken with her at Hogwarts, but she supposed she couldn't be surprised that his father would want him to buddy up to someone the Dark Lord thought so highly of. "Sure. Tell him to owl me."

"Lovely. Well, it has been a pleasure seeing you. And, Mr. Snape, best of luck with your third year. Do try not to shame Slytherin too badly," Niall said, smirking.

Hermione could practically feel Severus tense. "Yes, sir."

Vaughn looked sympathetic toward the boy before turning to walk away with his _business_ partner.

She sensed Severus looking up at her, and the anger and embarrassment was radiating off of him in waves. She turned her head to meet his gaze and sighed. Glancing at the remains of her ice cream cone, she frowned as she stood. She threw it in the rubbish bin near their table and looked at him. "Let's go home," she said, pointedly.

Severus stood, walking past her toward the Leaky Cauldron. He didn't seem to be in the mood to escort her anymore.

Hermione arrived back at Princeton Place just a few moments after Severus. He was standing three feet away, facing her angrily. She sighed, warily, wiping the soot from her robes. "Let's sit down. Then, you can ask what you want."

He walked backwards and flopped heavily into a chair, never breaking her gaze. In that moment, sitting painfully erect in the chair with his eyes swimming with anger… she understood for the first time what it must have been like to be Harry Potter in Potions that first year. The thought made her lips twitch, and Severus looked even more angry when he caught it.

"Why?" he asked, his hands tense on his thighs.

She walked toward him and took a seat across from him, on top of the walnut coffee table. "It was for your own good," she said, seriously.

"Telling people you know that I am _adequate_ , as if it is a compliment and I am actually less than? That I am lazy! They have to expect I am some sort of idiot! Is that what you really think of me?!" he half shouted, cheeks red.

She reached out and grabbed one of his hands, holding it in hers. "I told you during the last school year that dangerous times were ahead. Those were dangerous men."

"Antonin's father?! Antonin is nice! Even Roderick isn't all that bad!" he said, glaring.

She nodded. "You are right. Antonin is nice, and Roderick is not a psychopath. Their fathers are both involved with a very dangerous man, and he is looking for people to serve him. If they knew… if they knew how _talented_ you are, they would go out of their way to bring you into the ranks. I do not want that life for you!"

"How do you know all of this?! And if they are so horrible, why are you friendly with them?" his tone calmed down slightly, but she could still tell that he was angry.

She sighed. "I know because _I_ was recruited."

Severus rolled his eyes. "Can't be that bad then, can it? If you agree with it, then maybe I…"

She squeezed his hand. "No, Severus. It can be. You don't understand. People are becoming involved for a myriad of reasons. Bellatrix, for instance, likely agrees with the stances of this group. Antonin, possibly Roderick… they are being groomed for it. It is expected of them. Me… well, I didn't have much of a choice. Misters Nott and Dolohov can be quite dangerous, but nowhere near as dangerous as the person they are answering to. I was told it was _expected_ of me to join, and the alternative did not seem _healthy_ , to say the least."

Severus's anger had melted away, but now his cheeks were pale. He looked scared.

"What are you doing, Hera?"

She pulled her hand away and stood. "I'm doing what it necessary and nothing more. The leader thinks that I am more useful than most, so he is quite good to me for now. That will probably change in the future, though. At the present, I have a position of… _authority._ He wants me to learn from him and enforce the plans he makes for his followers."

"So… they answer to you, too?"

She shrugged. "Not too much yet, thank goodness. So far, most things are still carried out quietly without need of me. Again, that will change in the future."

"What about Lucius? They said he wasn't involved?" Severus asked, nervously.

Hermione shook his head. "No. Lucius knows absolutely nothing about my involvement with them, thanks to an understanding we have. When he returns in March, he will be filled in."

"Who is this man? The leader?" Severus asked, tilting his head to the side.

Hermione paced for a moment, deciding what to say. She finally stopped and looked at her young friend. "His name is Tom Riddle, but he goes by Lord Voldemort. His followers are already calling him 'Dark Lord'. He is immensely powerful, incredibly charismatic, and he has a lot of very well connected associates."

"And what does he plan to do?"

"He hopes to take over the Wizarding World, completely. He wishes to run the government and return things to staunch traditionalism. To do this, he is comfortable doing about _anything_. For that reason, I want you to stay _far, far away_. Do you understand me?"

Severus shook his head. "Who knows about this? Is he… killing people? The disappearances? The murders?"

Hermione looked at the fireplace, frowning. "Enough people know. I am sure steps are being taken against him. And, yes, he is killing people. Severus, I want you to promise me you will stay away. He has no regard for life other than his own, unless it suits him. If he is taken down, his followers will likely be rounded up and imprisoned, if at all possible. I suspect many will be killed, by either aurors or the Kiss."

Severus stood up from his chair then, walking toward her. "What about you, though? You can't go to prison! You can't be _Kissed_. You don't even agree with all of that blood purity shite!"

Hermione nodded. "I know. Severus, you will just have to trust me. I am making plans to protect myself regardless of the outcome. If I had said no to him, _I_ would have disappeared. You just have to promise me. Severus, they are _monsters,_ most of them. People like your mother? Lily? They would go through unspeakable torment before being killed. Just stay out of it. _Promise!"_

Severus looked near to crying, but he nodded. "I promise. But… you will tell me if I can help, right? Or… or if there is something else? Something you need from me?"

She sighed and pulled him into a hug. "Yes, Severus. I will."

They pulled away from each other a few moments later. "What do I need to do at Hogwarts? I mean, I'm only a third year now…"

She nodded. "Yes. Continue on. If you decide to publish anything new you design, I would recommend using an alias. You can take credit after this is all over. Work as you would but don't seek recognition. Keep your nose down, so to speak. As for you and me… we can't be seen as closely together. They will wonder why I have such interest in you. They will assume you could be useful to them, either that you are talented or that you could be leverage against me. We can still meet up, but it will have to be seen as purely academic. During the summer, I think we can stay as we are. No one can gain access here easily, and they don't know who is here with me."

"What else can I do? Really?"

"Continue being a friend to Regulus. He will be having pressure put on him, and I want him to have a neutral influence. I do not think he would ever fight _against_ Voldemort, but he could be convinced not to fight for him. Urge him toward a relationship with his brother, as much as it seems natural. Try with Rabastan, too. Rodolphus… I think Bellatrix will insist on his joining. He will have about as much choice as I do. Rabastan might be able to make his own decision, though."

Severus walked back to the chair and sat down again. "Things are never simple, are they?"

She smiled, sadly, and shook her head. "Not yet, at least."

* * *

After dueling club was finished for the day, Hermione could be found in her guest quarter suite, preparing to go to the Black-Lestrange wedding. The wedding was due to begin in just an hour. She was putting the finishing touches on her hair when she heard someone knock on her door.

Crossing the small sitting room, she swung open the door to see Albus smiling at her. She held the door open wider and gestured for him to come in. "You look lovely, my dear," he said, as he walked by her and into the room.

"Thank you, sir," she said, politely.

Her dress was a dark, shimmering green with a lower neckline than she usually would consider wearing to a wedding. Halter straps kept it from becoming embarrassingly immodest, but it would have still pushed the boundaries of propriety. The back of the dress was nonexistent, dropping into a "v" just above her bottom, and a deep slit came up high on her right side. Her standard black ball gloves were already in place, and matched with the black wrap she intended to use if she became cold.

While the dress was not something she probably would have ever considered wearing to an event she looked forward to, she thought it would have distinct advantages at this one.

She was willing to admit that time had been good to her. She was still petite and in good shape, but she had seemingly inherited her Grandmother Stoll's figure. She was curvy, and the dress showed that off perfectly. She was sure that she would garner a lot of attention at the wedding. Bellatrix would likely be quite angry at being shown up at her own wedding, but that was the one part of the evening Hermione was actually looking forward to.

Tonight… was important. It would give her an opportunity to have her position become well known, and she was sure that Voldemort would approve of her attire. Even if he did not want to bed her, he would like the idea of her obvious play on the bride's insecurities. He would want her to be seen as threatening and someone that was not likely to bow to society's expectations of her.

There was also the fact that the cut of the dress would show off the most important part of her ensemble. She walked to the coffee table and picked up the small jewelry box, handing it to Albus. "Your help?" She asked, opening it for him.

He looked down at the expensive replica and back at her, eyes twinkling madly. "I do hope this plan of yours is well thought out," he said, removing the locket from the box.

Hermione turned around and pulled her hair out of the way so that he could clasp it for her. Once Dumbledore hooked the locket in place, she walked the few steps toward the fireplace, looking at her reflection in the mirror hanging above the mantle. She fingered the large, 'S' of emeralds as the weight of the heavy gold locket nestled slightly into her cleavage.

"It is noticeable enough?" she asked, blushing lightly.

Albus chuckled. "We both know that I am not entranced by your… charms, but I am sure that even a man with the poorest of eyesight would definitely take note of it."

She nodded, taking a steeling breath. "Today, Albus, the hard part begins. What we've been doing up until now has been nothing in comparison. We just have to hope he plays into our hands," she whispered, staring now into the flames dancing inside the hearth.

"Yes, for now, the cave is nothing strange. We know where the cup is. If worse comes to worst, and he doesn't move it, we can save it for last and steal it before attacking him."

She nodded, "Yes. The diary, of course, is the most troublesome for now. We have no clue where it is."

"Indeed. Hera, I do not want you getting ahead of yourself. If we rush this, he could find out. Then, he might hide them in places we aren't prepared to look. I realize you want to end him as soon as possible, and I do as well, but we might just have to bide our time until the information avails itself. You are only at the beginning, as you said. Until we know what we need to, we will just have to attempt to control the damage." His weathered hand came up to her bare shoulder and rested there.

"You have already done so much good. Do not get sloppy by rushing to the desired outcome."

Hermione nodded, bringing her hand up to rest on top of his. "You are right… Have I told you how much I prefer you to your counterpart?"

Dumbledore almost grimaced. "Thank you, my dear. I believe I prefer me, as well. You should be going. It would not be good to be late."

"Thank you. I'll report tonight if necessary, but will pass along through Adeline otherwise," she said, turning to gather her wrap from the back of a chair. They walked together toward her door.

"Of course, my dear. Do try to have a good time, and please give my regards to Adeline and that I will see her for our meeting on Tuesday evening." Hermione nodded her agreement, and they parted.

Hermione was not surprised that the portkey to Lestrange Manor put her at the very foot of a rather steep hill. It was certainly an imposing first view of the home. The driveway was somewhere near a quarter mile long from what she could tell, but considering the incline, she couldn't be positive. From where she was positioned, the home looked almost as if it was at the top of a gravel ladder, looking down on its guests.

She started the trek up, thankful for magic and the charm she had put on her heels for the occasion. A few hundred yards in, she heard a voice calling for her. "Hera!"

She turned her head to see Antonin walking briskly behind her, a wide smile on his face. "I thought that was you!" he said as he joined her, offering his arm.

She smiled as she looped her own arm through his much more muscular one. "No date, Antonin?"

He shrugged. "I am sure Narcissa will willingly give me a spin or two around the dance floor," he said. "Besides, I assumed with Lucius not coming that you might appreciate a stand in. I selected myself as your de facto date of the evening."

She snorted. "How chivalrous of you. Don't be expecting any kisses," she joked.

"I don't expect them, but I might have to punch someone else on your behalf. Lucius is a fool for letting you attend alone. Is this your first time at Lestrange Manor?" he asked, looking up at the house.

She nodded in response, following his gaze. The house itself was a white, stone monstrosity. Even from their bird's eye view of the place, it seems impersonal and sterile. The black shutters and dark boxwood, combined with the overcast and darkening sky made Hermione think that it could almost be mistaken for a black and white photograph. It was as if all color was being sucked out of it.

"It is slightly hard to believe that Rodolphus grew up here," she said, frowning.

Antonin chuckled. "Well, to be fair, he was shuffled around all of the family homes. Generally, he follows his father on business, and his father is usually living in the same country as the current mistress, of course."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Purebloods," she said, dispassionately. "What are Rodolphus's parents like?"

"I don't know them very well. I believe it was an arranged married, at the very least Madam Lestrange does not seem bothered by the fact that her husband _shares_ himself. I wouldn't be surprised if she did the same, though much more discreetly. They are a dark family, but they mostly care about business. They don't really care for being involved in politics, if that is what you are asking. I assume the bride's side of the room will be dominated by the crowd you would expect, and Rodolphus's will be filled with business contacts."

"I didn't realize publishing was such an intense business," she said, beginning to feel the slight strain in her calves from the incline.

Antonin smirked, "Well, the publishing business is a bit of a pet project, I think. I believe that most of the Lestrange coin comes from other ventures."

"Such as?" she asked, curiously. Antonin seemed eager to gossip if his anticipatory look was anything to go by.

"Well, my father once said that Mr. Lestrange is able to get things for you that are a bit… harder to come by. It was his polite way of saying that Mr. Lestrange works on the black market. Rare, controlled potion ingredients, magical creatures, contraband magical items. I would be more in doubt, as the man does not seem particularly cunning, but I did once open a closet that had a few flying carpets inside," he said, excitedly.

"I've always wondered what the flight on a carpet would be like, compared to a broom," she said, thoughtfully, storing away the information about the head of the Lestrange family.

"Ick. A lot less predictable and harder to hold onto. Not to mention, depending where you sit, there's a risk it could flip you off. Still, some people are collectors."

"You rode one of them?!" she asked, shocked.

He laughed, pulling her to walk a little faster. "Of course, I did! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity! Besides, Rodolphus and Lucius were both with me."

"Gryffindors! The lot of you!" she said, glaring lightly.

He smirked. "Ravenclaw, remember? We don't hold on to the same amount of ire toward Gryffindors. I'll tell Lucius, though. It should be funny to see his reaction," he said, beginning to hum a tune as he escorted her up the hill.

He stopped when they were at the top of the hill and turned her to face him. "By the way… nice dress. Your tits look phenomenal. Bellatrix will spit nails."

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

"And, the necklace? What's the story there?"

She smiled, fingering the locket and watching Antonin eye the movements. "A replica of Salazar Slytherin's locket. I told Lucius I liked it, and he had one made."

Antonin laughed, pulling her through the open doors and into the foyer to be greeted by two house elves. "There really isn't any love lost between you and Bellatrix, is there?"

She laughed, "Well, you can't lose what was never there to begin with."

* * *

Author's Note: Thank for all of your awesome reviews! I love reading each and every one of them, and I am blown away by how well received this has been. To the guest who said they stalk this story- I am happy you are so invested. Just to save you trouble, I am trying to post every 5 or 6 days, but once a week at a minimum. Please share your thoughts!

Next up: The wedding and all of the people associate with it, as well as a somewhat minor character becoming somewhat less minor. And... a curveball that might anger some people. Don't give up on me!

Oh, and for the person who asked me in private message what Lucius looks like in my head... I am a big fan of Turn. A blonde John Andre (played by JJ Field) about does it perfect. Check it out!


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling, and I do not profit from this flight of fancy._

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Six**

The inside of Lestrange Manor was just as bleak and unforgivingly white as the exterior of the home. The only dashes of color were gaudy golden baubles to break up the monochromatic view. The furniture was black; the tiles were black. The walls and carpets were white. The different textures were the only cue that she wasn't in some two-dimensional wasteland.

As she stepped from the foyer into the ballroom, she leaned toward Antonin. "Were the flying carpets black or white? Perhaps uniquely gold?"

He laughed, slinging an arm around her shoulder. "Persian. _Lots_ of color. I suppose that's why they were hidden in a closet, out of view."

The ballroom was also hideously decorated. Huge golden and crystal chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceilings, and the floor was a pattern of black and white marble. She was reminded of a story she had read in a psychology journal of babies crawling on marble floor. The children would move across the white marble just fine. However, upon approaching an area of solid black marble, the babies would refuse to go further. They thought the black was actually the absence of ground and that they would be falling into a pit. She couldn't help but sympathize with the babies in this instance. She certainly wished she could turn and leave rather than risk being where she was.

She snorted at her thoughts, looking around the room at the assembled guests. It was certainly not going to be a small wedding. Soon upon arriving, golden platters with champagne flutes were thrust toward them, moving unattended through the room and avoiding collision with the numerous guests. They each took a glass and clinked them together before taking a sip.

Four people came up to them then but only one Hermione was familiar with. She mentally cringed at the sight of Cygnus Black. A rather sickly looking woman stood next to him, with her hand resting lightly on his arm. She bore a strong resemblance to who Hermione knew as Andromeda Tonks. She quickly connected that it must be her mother, Druella. The other couple could be mistaken for no one else but the Lestrange parents. Though they weren't touching, or even standing all that close together, she could see perfectly that Rodolphus and Rabastan were good blends of their parents. They each had their mother's deep set eyes and thin lips, but their father's strong jaw and auburn hair.

She and Antonin bowed their heads at the same time, receiving the same from the hosts.

"Ah, Mr. Dolohov and Miss Elias. Thank you both for joining us," Cygnus said, looking Hermione over. He seemed to be forcing the jovial tone in his voice, and Hermione smirked lightly. "While I believe Mr. Dolohov is well acquainted, Miss Elias, allow me to introduce my wife, Druella, as well as our hosts and Rodolphus' parents, Gerrick and Amelie Lestrange."

Gerrick smiled, extending a hand to Hermione and shaking it, even as his thumb brushed over the back of her hand. She watched his eyes rove over her body, lingering on her chest for several seconds longer than seemed appropriate. His wife seemed unsurprised and unbothered by his gaze.

"Ah, Miss Elias! Rodolphus has told us so many good things, and I can immediately see that some, at least, were not exaggerated. You look simply enchanting, my dear."

Hermione forced a smile in return. "Thank you, Mr. Lestrange. Congratulations on gaining a new member into the Lestrange family today, as well," she replied.

Gerrick looked at her as if he knew of her dislike of Bellatrix, which he likely did, considering Rodolphus. "Thank you. Amelie, it is possible that Miss Elias will outshine even the bride, is it not?"

Cygnus glared, then, as Amelie responded. "I can certainly see why you would say so, Gerrick." Druella seemed to be only slightly present and was currently staring over Antonin's shoulder.

"Yes," Antonin said, "I have had to take it upon myself to be Hera's escort for the evening. As I am sure you are aware, her intended, Lucius Malfoy, is in Russia doing a cursebreaking apprenticeship."

"Ah, of course. How kind of you to step in, Antonin. Though, I do not believe you saw it as some great imposition. Lucius will be very grateful to you for being so _attentive_ to his lady," Gerrick said, smirking at them both. "I am sure you will agree, Abraxas?"

Hermione felt a warm hand land on her shoulder and looked up and back at her future father-in-law.

Abraxas nodded, "I do. Lucius is very good at picking loyal friends and partners. Unfortunately, not all people have such skill." He nodded to Amelie, who smirked in response. "Hello, Hera, Antonin."

Hermione moved to stand more at Abraxas's side and saw Antonin do the same to Adeline. "Abraxas, it is good to see you."

"And to see you. A shame my son could not join us at such a… happy occasion. Nevertheless, I am pleased with his work ethic," Abraxas said, looking at the Blacks and Lestranges with cool civility. "Adeline has been eager to see you," he said, not taking his eyes off of the hosts as he spoke to her.

Hermione looked around Abraxas to Adeline, and the two woman smiled warmly at each other.

"You must be quite pleased, Cygnus! Despite the betrothal between our two houses not working out, you have managed to marry one of your daughters to not only a pureblood, but one that isn't closely related to you. My sincerest felicitations."

She heard a strange squeak emit from Antonin's approximate position and hid her own smirk. Cygnus stepped forward, his wand held loosely in his hand. "Abraxas, your words show disrespect that you might soon come to deeply regret," he sneered.

Hermione seized her moment and stepped forward, to stand toe to toe with the Black patriarch. "Mr. Black, I would recommend you not threaten a valuable ally in my presence. Put your wand away," she sneered, bringing her own wand discreetly out and pressing it into his gut.

He turned his glare onto her, and Hermione watched the Lestranges looking on with no small amount of shock. "And who do you think you are to give me such orders, _orphan?_ "

In Hermione's mind, she knew that if he had the information the word "orphan" would have easily been swapped out to match the word on her arm. She raised her other hand and swatted his wand arm out of the way. She stepped even closer, pressing her chest up against his.

He stiffened as she leaned in toward his ear. Then, she whispered quietly, her voice dripping with honey. "I believe that we could ask our Lord, could we not, Cygnus? Furthermore, I believe he would encourage me to enforce what I say with strictness I have not yet utilized. Do you wish for an example to be made of you? I'll say it again. Put your fucking wand away and step back."

She heard his growl, and she wondered for a moment if he would stand his ground. Then, he lowered his wand and stepped backward, sneering. Hermione kept her wand aimed at him delicately for another moment before dropping it. "Mr. and Mrs. Black, Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange, we apologize for monopolizing your time. Please, go greet your other guests. We are perfectly capable of seeing to ourselves."

Cygnus spun and immediately stomped away, pulling his beleaguered wife with him. The Lestranges hesitated for a moment. Gerrick and Amelie stared at them incredulously, but Hermione was quite sure she could also see lust in Gerrick's eyes as his gaze swept over her once more. "Thank you again for coming," Amelie said. She then pulled Gerrick and walked in the direction the Blacks had went.

When they were several paces away, Antonin whistled, lowly. "Damn, Hera. If I had known, perhaps I _would_ have considered settling down for you."

Adeline came forward and took her hand. "Come, let's go on out to the grounds and get seats. I do hate having to fight the crowds," she said calmly, even as her hand shook slightly within Hermione's.

* * *

The binding itself was rather anticlimactic. Hermione, Antonin, and the Malfoys seated themselves on the groom's side toward the middle. The Blacks and Lestranges did not speak to them again as they found their own seats and escorted in noteworthy guests.

Hermione did watch as Lord Voldemort was led by them and to the front row, seated next to Cygnus himself. His position was in an even better one than that of Orion's family in the second row. Hermione had given a brief smile to Sirius and Regulus as they walked by to their seats, and was pleased to see both boys smile in return. Rabastan had done the same.

While she had expected Sirius to be pleased with her attendance, she had not necessarily expected as much from the upcoming second year Slytherins. She had only been teaching them both for two weeks, but she assumed that Severus's high opinion of her might have given her a good start with them.

Voldemort had not even glanced at her as he passed, though she expected that was more to the fact that Cygnus practically looked as if he wanted to lead the man down the aisle by his hand himself. Voldemort had acted as if he was holding court, soaking up the gazes of the other attendants.

Rodolphus had looked a bit paler than usual as he watched his bride walk the aisle on her own. Despite the fact that Hermione knew Bellatrix to be absolutely unhinged, she had to admit that the middle Black daughter did make a beautiful bride. It seemed almost out of place, however, that such a dark girl could look so lovely in a blindingly white ballroom wedding gown.

Neither the bride or groom seemed particularly pleased to be there, but they said their vows steadily. Their kiss was chaste, and as they turned to face the crowd of guests, they each managed somewhat convincing smiles. Hermione couldn't help but notice that a light blush spread across the cheeks of the young bride when her gaze fell upon the dashing Lord Voldemort. Apparently, that infatuation had started very, very early.

As Rodolphus escorted his bride by them, his eyes met those of Hermione and Antonin. A second later, Hermione shoved her elbow into Antonin's ribs as he gave a sarcastic thumbs up to the groom.

* * *

After the newly married couple had departed the room, the parents followed them out, leading the way to the reception area. Hermione did not glance in Voldemort's direction as she allowed Antonin to drape her arm through his and direct her toward the doors.

Thirty minutes later, the party was in full swing. Hermione had managed to avoid Voldemort thus far, though she knew that it wouldn't last forever. She also knew that tonight she needed to make sure she _did_ see him. So, when she saw the bride and groom speaking with the Dark Lord, she made her excuses to Antonin and walked her way toward them.

She approached the trio and when noticed by Voldemort, she dropped into a deep curtsy, looking down demurely. "My Lord, an honor to see you. I wish to give my congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange," she said politely.

Voldemort took a little longer than expected to respond to her. "Indeed, Miss Elias. How lovely to see you," he greeted.

She came out of her curtsy and looked up to see that he was staring directly at the locket around her neck. Without giving away her pleasure at his notice, she turned slightly to Bellatrix and Rodolphus.

"Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange, congratulations on the joining of two prestigious houses. I am sure that your union will be a credit to our society, and I wish you both many fruitful years together."

Rodolphus forced a smile as he inclined his head. "Thank you, Hera. Please feel free to continue calling me Rodolphus, though."

Hermione smiled and nodded before looking at Bellatrix. The bride looked quite angry as she took in the ornate and sensual attire of her rival. "Elias. I see that you are incapable of appealing to society standards, even at weddings."

"I am sure I do not know what you mean, Mrs. Lestrange," Hermione said, smiling a very fake smile at the other woman.

"You look like a… a…." Bellatrix stammered, trying to find a word to properly convey her disgust.

"A goddess, I am sure is the word you are searching for, Mrs. Lestrange," Voldemort said, the words gliding over his tongue smoothly.

Hermione smiled, though it was a bit forced, at the Dark Lord. "Thank you, my Lord. I knew that Bellatrix here would have a very formal and elegant wedding. I was worried I might underdress."

"I am sure every woman here is envious of you, my dear," Voldemort said, smiling at her, even as his eyes moved to watch Bellatrix's outrage. "Does she not look beautiful, Mr. Lestrange?"

Rodolphus nodded, unable to help his wandering eyes. "Yes, sir. She is stunning."

Hermione fought to contain her amusement at Bellatrix's expression. Finally, she decided to twist the dagger. "Oh, but isn't the bride also beautiful, my Lord? The perfect example of pureblood grace and unpolluted breeding."

Rodolphus coughed in disbelief and grabbed a passing glass of champagne, downing it in one. Bellatrix was rapidly approaching the color Ron's skin had taken on when he was angry, and the thought made her fight to maintain her perfectly innocent look.

Voldemort, for his part, was quietly amused, his lips twitching lightly. "Yes, well, Miss Elias, we should leave the bride and groom to their guests. Could I perhaps have a dance?"

Hermione nodded, the idea of dancing with Lord Voldemort not even diminishing her good cheer at so effectively insulting the bride. "It would be by pleasure. Congratulations, again. Rodolphus, if your bride is willing to spare you later, I would love a dance as well."

She didn't wait for an answer, though she did see Bellatrix grip Rodolphus's arm harshly. Poor man…

Lord Voldemort took her hand as they reached the extensive dance floor and spun her out onto the floor before putting his arms around her. While his hands were still appropriately placed, there could be no doubt that the two people dancing had to be very well acquainted.

They moved in a slow Viennese Waltz for a few minutes before he spoke. "Hera, you truly do look radiant tonight. I have been asked numerous times how attached you are to Mr. Malfoy."

"And what did you tell these people?" Hermione asked, quietly, looking over the Dark Lord's shoulder to see a lot of the other guests were staring at them.

"I told them that you were quite serious, but that you had a good deal more loyalty to your obligations than Lucius seems to. Honestly, I do not understand why he remains in Russia. Do you not question his commitment to you?"

"Lucius is committed, and I do not doubt his intentions or feelings in the least," she said, smiling as she caught a glimpse of Antonin and Narcissa dancing on the other side of the floor.

"Ah, well, I hope your trust is not misplaced. Malfoys are quite known for sticking to their priorities, and his remaining in Russia shows that he prioritizes his career," he said, warningly. Hermione stiffened slightly.

"My lord, I beg a change of conversation. We are at an impasse, and I do not wish us to be angry with one another," she said, struggling to be polite. The only reason Lucius was still in Russia was because she had _forced_ him to stay there. And the only reason she was forcing him to stay there was so that she could _off_ the bastard she was currently dancing with. Her mood was rapidly souring.

"Of course," the dark lord said, smirking. He spun her and when she was facing him again, he hesitated before pulling her close again. "I have noticed that you are wearing a rather unique necklace tonight. It looks familiar. A Malfoy family heirloom?"

Hermione swallowed but shook her head. "No, my lord. I was reading _Hogwarts, a History_ and came upon information about artifacts that once belonged to the founders which struck me as interesting. The only one that is known today is actually Godric Gryffindor's sword, which is in the headmaster's possession. The book also showed a picture of Salazar Slytherin's locket, and I thought it was rather beautiful. I told Lucius, and he had a replica made for me."

"Indeed? That must be why it looks so familiar. I did love to read _Hogwarts, a History_ in my own school days. A shame so many priceless relics have been lost over time."

Hermione nodded, "It is. The idea of possessing such a priceless piece of history is fascinating to me. I am sure that whoever does have the real locket, unless it has been destroyed somehow, is quite careful with it. I would be constantly scared that someone would steal it, personally, and probably hide it."

He frowned, "You would not want to show such an object to the rest of the wizarding world? Share it?" His eyes were calculating, and she was happy that at least she was being honest in what she said. If they weren't horcruxes, and she managed to get her hands on one… she would easily become a dragon protecting its horde.

She snorted. "No. The average witch or wizard has no respect for history. I have no doubt that if another witch owned the actual locket of Slytherin, she would flaunt it. Just the idea of something so precious being stolen or damaged… no, such things need to be protected and only shown to a select few if any."

Voldemort didn't respond for several minutes. Finally, he spoke, "I think I would have to agree with you, Miss Elias."

"Not the first time," she said, "Because I am almost always right."

"Ah, and I _am_ always right," he retorted, chuckling.

* * *

Lord Voldemort had released her after the first dance in favor of talking with the various guests in attendance. As a result, Hermione found herself eating a rather delicious piece of cake at a nearby table. Antonin and Narcissa had apparently hit it off quite well, as she had not spoken to him since she had left him to approach the Dark Lord.

She was contemplating a second piece of cake, chocolate this time, when Adeline and Abraxas took seats at her table. She smiled at Adeline and nodded at Abraxas in greeting. "The lemon cake is quite delicious," she said, wiping her mouth with her napkin daintily.

"I am glad, my dear. Has anything important happened?"

Hermione shook her head. "Nothing important, though my expectations of such an event have been met. Speaking with Bellatrix was very entertaining," she said, smirking. Adeline nodded in comprehension.

"Lucius is rubbing off on you," Abraxas said, raising a singular eyebrow.

She laughed, "Abraxas, I think I am rubbing off on Lucius more than he is rubbing off on me."

"Undoubtedly," he said, straight faced. She knew he was still upset with the family's new, unexpected position, but he did not sound particularly angry with her.

They all watched as Lord Voldemort seemingly took pleasure in a dance with Druella Black. She looked as if she might pass out, and he seemed to delight in her fear. "What is the story there?"

Abraxas answered, "Druella is a bit of a loose screw. Whereas many Blacks' madness manifests itself in violence and erratic behavior, Druella is constantly paranoid and ill at ease. She has been that way since childhood. Though, I do believe her fears are well placed. She likely is incredibly uncomfortable with the direction Cygnus is leading the family, but she is too afraid to speak out against it."

"So, in the past, when she has been absent due to sickness…"

"She is at home, afraid to leave but perfectly healthy, physically. Her condition is relatively well known, so most people excuse her absence being played off. She couldn't be seen avoiding her own daughter's wedding, though," he said, watching Druella leave the dance floor.

"That is sad to hear," she said. "Is she a Black by birth as well?"

"No. She is a Rosier. Though, I believe her maternal grandmother was a Black. I think that madness runs in that family not only because of inbreeding but also having to tolerate the madness of others. It was one of our fears with Lucius marrying into the family, though we believed his constitution to be strong enough to withstand it."

"And what if he had had children? Or if Narcissa had been afflicted?" she asked, curiously.

Adeline smiled. "I think it is quite obvious that Narcissa has been spared from any mental problems. She was a very precocious child and always very logical. The eldest, Andromeda, was also normal, if a bit more bubbly than most of her family. As for children, we believed that the Black blood itself would be diluted enough to not cause any major problems."

"Though we do not like Cygnus or the Black family politics, we did stand to gain a lot of business and clout within the Wizengamot through a marriage between us. If Orion and Walburga had had a daughter, we would have considered her, first. Though, I think it is far less likely that a daughter they had would have had adequate faculties," Abraxas said, inspecting one of his fingernails.

Hermione nodded, thinking on the information. Draco had turned out to be sane, even if he had made horrible decisions in his youth. And Narcissa, as far as she had known, had retained her sanity.

She was unsure of Lucius, though. He had certainly changed since the first time she had met him in second year. And who knows what he had been like before that? She was positive that his stints in Azkaban and his time with Voldemort in Malfoy Manor had negatively affected him, though. While not deranged, she was unsure if he had been _all there_.

And Sirius and Regulus… She had no clue about Regulus, having never heard much about the man. He obviously had sympathy for his house elf, so he had compassion and decency until his death. He had also realized he had made a horrible mistake in following the Dark Lord. She was quite sure he had to have been sane.

Sirius… Sirius was definitely reckless. And she remembered how he had looked at Harry sometimes, as if he truly did see _James_ when speaking to him. Could she blame him for that though? Twelve years in Azkaban would drive anyone a little mad, wouldn't it? Reckless and impulsive though… she was unsure if it was instability or just an immaturity.

She looked across the hall and saw Sirius and Regulus sitting at a table by themselves. They each looked rather miserable, but they were together and seemed to be having some kind of conversation. She watched as Rabastan joined them, taking the seat next to Regulus. She smiled at Abraxas. "Yes, well, I can't say I have much love for any Black adults that I have met, but Sirius is a wonderful student. His brother is shaping up to be quite impressive as well. I will go say hello, if you will excuse me?"

Abraxas and Adeline gave her their leave and stood up to go dance together as she walked across the hall toward the Black brothers. She was taken aback when someone reached out from a group of people talking and took her hand.

"Miss Elias, may I have the honour of a dance?" Roderick Nott said, bowing shortly.

She forced a polite, if slightly unattached, smile onto her face as she nodded, allowing herself to be led to the dance floor.

Roderick was quiet for several moments before speaking. "Do you make it a habit of coming to weddings with the purpose of angering the bride?"

She smirked, "I don't know what you are talking about."

He shook his head, smiling in return. She was surprised at how very normal he looked when he smiled. All through their year at Hogwarts together and the moments she had seen him since, he always had a look of complete seriousness on his face, usually combined with some amount of anger or disdain. A true smile seemed to change his face.

It wasn't as if he hadn't been handsome before, but she had never even allowed herself the time to really look at him. It had been easier to count him as one that would inevitably be lost to Voldemort's side with no hope. His hair was a dark auburn color, and his eyes were an attractive jade color. He had a small amount of facial hair that made his jaw seem even more pronounced and a strong chin. He was a few inches over six feet tall and of average weight, though he was well defined. His hair was slightly wavy and very thick, hanging around his ears at the longest point, and his skin was a warm medium tone. She could feel his hands, strong and warm, complementing his beater's physique.

"I am talking about the fact that whereas a bride typically can easily attract the attention of an entire room, and Bellatrix is quite beautiful… every man in here cannot take his eyes off of you," he said, his hand pressing slightly into her back as he stepped the slightest bit closer to her.

She raised an eyebrow at him, frowning. "Regardless of how you feel about my dress, you do not have to lie to me. I know you have never particularly liked me and do not support my relationship with Lucius."

He sighed, looking over her shoulder as he responded. "You are partially right. Aside from being able to acknowledge your considerable talents, I did not like the position you were making for yourself while we were at school. I will, however, admit that I have been ridiculously stupid. I have spent a good portion of this wedding hearing Cygnus Black complain about you to my father, and I have found myself surprised to realize that I think he must be the densest man in the country because of it."

"How so?" She asked, questioningly.

He smiled as he removed his hand from hers, still keeping the one on her waist to guide her steps. "Cygnus is obviously angry because you are, he believes, usurping a position he wishes his daughter or himself to have. He is so angry that he is unable to see how much more powerful, intelligent and beautiful you are. In hearing his stupid comments and realizing how truly ridiculous they are, I find myself ashamed and disgusted by the fact that I did not see what a prize you were earlier." His free hand came up, tucking a curl behind her ear.

She was slightly speechless by his actions, considering how little he had wanted to do with her in the past. Her surprise must have shown on her face for he smiled slightly as his hand reached up to take hers.

"You and Lucius are not yet engaged, and from what I gather you do not expect to become engaged until he returns from Russia. In accordance with pureblood society, that means you are not yet spoken for." The music came to an end, and he released her lightly, though he did not step away.

"Thusly, I wish to formally state my intention to court you and my sincere hope to win your affection. I believe that with effort on my part, I could be almost as good a husband as you effortlessly _would_ be as Lady Nott."

He took her hand within both of his and turned it to be palm up, before performing a very deep bow to her before pressing his forehead to her hand. Her hand tingled strangely, almost as if her arm was progressively falling asleep, and the sensation went all the way from her finger tips to her shoulder. She noticed that several of the couples around them had stopped dancing and were staring at them in surprise as they whispered to each other.

As he rose from his bow, his smile was dramatically wider. He released her hand and stepped away from her. "Miss Elias, thank you so much for the dance and for your time. Please do expect my owl."

When he left, Hermione ignored the stares as she continued on her projected path to Sirius, Regulus, and Rabastan. She shook off the strange interaction with Roderick. He was obviously wanting to suck up to her because of her growing relationship with the Dark Lord. She would simply ignore any owl he send to her. A courtship? Ha.

When she arrived at the table, three young boys were staring at her with wide eyes as she nodded at them and took a seat at their table.

"Gentlemen. It was very kind of the headmaster to allow you to attend," she said, smiling lightly.

Sirius was staring at her in shock. "I am surprised you are sitting with us. I imagine the Malfoys are wanting to speak with you," he said quickly.

She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Well… someone just declared themselves for you, publicly, despite the public knowledge that you are intended to become a part of House Malfoy."

She frowned, "What do you mean?"

Rabastan choked on his drink, coughing horrendously as Regulus thumped his back. It was at that moment that she felt a familiar hand land on her shoulder. "Miss Elias. Perhaps you could join me and Adeline. We are leaving."

Abraxas's voice was stone cold, and Hera turned slightly to frown up at him.

"What?" she asked, confused. She hated being confused or feeling like she was missing something. She certainly was though. She was definitely missing something.

She frowned and nodded apologetically at the Black brothers and Rabastan as she stood. Following Abraxas from the room, she stopped right behind him as he abruptly did the same at the door. Roderick and Niall were standing together, and as one they nodded very slowly to Abraxas. She could practically feel Abraxas vibrating in anger as he did the same before once more taking off. Abraxas took a half step back and placed her hand on his arm before leading her by them and out of the room.

"To the manor," he hissed, angrily.

 **Author's Note:** Introducing a more in depth Roderick Nott for your reading pleasure. I don't know why, but I can't look at someone young and equate them with the characters. So, while Lucius is a younger JJ Feild, Roderick is more like a younger Sam Heughan.

No, the pairing on this story will not be changing. Don't get all up in arms. She's with a bunch of Slytherins; of course, someone is going to try to monopolize on her power and position. She still loves Lucius, though.

Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews! Next up is the explanation of what it was that Roderick Nott just did, a little more insight into his character, a meeting of the young Death Eaters, and some more interaction with the Malfoys.


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: Still don't own or profit from anything Harry Potter related. If JK wanted me to, I would even give her this fic._

 _Additional Note: This is a story largely about war and the things that happen in war. As the main characters get more involved, the more graphic things are going to get. If you might have issues reading graphic, violent material... you might need to reconsider reading this. I don't want to lose or upset readers, but I don't want to gloss over the dark parts of life- this is largely an in-depth look at how people become monsters and how they can find redemption and forgiveness. Not fluff. Thanks._

 _ **The Bond Servant**_

 _ **Chapter Seven**_

Upon their rather abrupt departure from the wedding reception, Hermione found herself following a rather angry Adeline and Abraxas Malfoy through their ancestral home toward the family living room. While it wasn't unusual for Abraxas to be irritated, she was rather nervous considering the tense posture of your future mother-in-law. Adeline had not yet spoken to her, and she was unsure why they were so upset. She suspected that she had missed something important.

Adeline and Abraxas sat in their twin chairs as one and raised their eyes to meet hers. "Sit, Hera," Adeline said, crisply.

Hermione did as she asked, staring at the two with no small amount of confusion. She did not often find herself stumped about something and now she was. It made her feel stupid and weak. "I am unsure why you both seem angry with me. So, Roderick Nott made a fool of himself in public. What is the harm of it if I do not respond to his efforts?"

Abraxas's eyes widened, and he started to sputter angrily. Adeline, on the other hand, went pale. "Hera…" she started, hesitantly.

Hermione held her hands out, silently asking her to continue. "Adeline?"

"The book I gave you on pureblood customs. It has been a while since I have read it myself, but what did it say about courtship rituals?"

Hermione thought back to the book before answering. "It said that a pureblood male would introduce a woman he was courting as either his intended, betrothed, or fiancée based on the situation at the time. Your family has publicly declared me to be Lucius's intended."

"And what does _intended_ mean?" Adeline pressed.

"That he has the intention to marry me, of course. We are not betrothed as there is no contract or document in place, and he has not formally asked me to marry him yet. I still do not see the problem?"

Abraxas practically growled. "Tonight, Hera, you publicly decried Lucius's intentions. You said that you are still potentially available! You granted Mr. Nott the right to contest Lucius's claim for you. You have _greatly_ embarrassed our family!"

"I did no such thing!" Hermione said, angrily.

Adeline sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Abraxas, it is not completely her fault. That book only speaking of marriage between equal stations. It would not have covered the nuances of a mixed marriage. Hera, Abraxas is right about what happened tonight."

Hermione felt her stomach knot up at the thought. "What? How?!"

Adeline looked at her. "If you were a known pureblood of equal station to Lucius, when he declared his intentions for you, a betrothal contract would have been drawn up very quickly, within days. With that contract in place, you are spoken for. It would not only be a social faux pas but break laws to try to enter into a relationship with a betrothed witch. You, however, there has been no need for a betrothal contract. You have no fortune or business ties, so we have, _quite foolishly in hindsight_ , not anticipated the need for a betrothal contract."

"That still does not mean I said I was available to anyone else!" she said.

Adeline shook her head. "Before a betrothal contact is in place, both parties are technically unattached. These laws were passed at a time where families were often forcing their children into marriages that were not wanted and potentially even dangerous. It was intended to give the children a chance to hold off on a marriage for a certain period of time or to convince their parents not to finalize the betrothal at all. During this period, it is acceptable to contest the intended match by publicly announcing your intention to court. Mr. Nott did that tonight."

"So what? I need to publicly tell him I am uninterested?"

Abraxas groaned, angrily. "So much for intelligence…"

"Do be quiet, Abraxas!" Adeline hissed, silencing her husband. "Hera, two very important things happened tonight. First, by allowing Mr. Nott to put his forehead to your hand and not immediately dismissing him, you have made it illegal to marry or become engaged to Lucius for the next six months. During that time, you will have to agree to give Mr. Nott 'equal opportunity' to woo you."

Hermione felt sick to her stomach. What exactly did that mean?

"Secondly, the manner in which Mr. Nott chose to speak to you is highly significant. Typically, it would not be so formal. 'I declare my intentions' and kissing your hand would be good enough to satisfy society and the law. Mr. Nott, however, chose a rather… rare custom."

Hermione shook her head. "What do you mean?"

"Mr. Nott, being of higher social standing than you, lowered himself to the floor and put his forehead to your open palm. In doing so, he publicly stated his stance that you would magically make his house _stronger_ and swore his fealty to you. He has, essentially, elevated you to his own station should you choose to marry him. It is exceedingly rare for this to happen. Considering House Malfoy has not done the same –"

"And will not!" Abraxas interjected, angrily.

"- you are forced to consider his proposal. To not give him a chance now, considering his highly irregular and generous offer, would ruin any position you wish to attain for yourself. You would become a social pariah, and we would be forced to renounce our support of Lucius's intentions for you."

Hermione swayed lightly in her chair. "I… I didn't know," she said, weakly.

"Obviously," Abraxas sneered.

Hermione closed her eyes. "What is expected of me?"

"Considering a formal courtship was proposed and inadvertently accepted, you must follow the customs dictated. I will get you a book on the subject to read. I would advise reading it quickly, as I imagine Mr. Nott will make the most of this opportunity. Also, it would be a good thing for you to tell Lucius. There are guidelines he must follow as well in the instance of a contested courtship. If he breaks them, he risks being challenged to a duel or even formally charged. I will return in a moment," Adeline said, briskly standing from her feet and leaving the room toward the family library.

Hermione and Abraxas sat in tense silence once she was gone.

"I'm sorry, Abraxas," she said, quietly.

"By accepting this, you have practically told society that you believe that Mr. Nott's offer and a potential match with him is better than what Lucius and House Malfoy would grant you. It will be a grave insult if you choose to reject Lucius. If an orphan of little standing would turn him down, why would anyone worthy even give him a chance?"

"I would never!" she said, eyes wide.

Abraxas stared at her, and his lip curled to transform his face into one she could vividly picture on an older version of Lucius. "Let's hope not."

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Hermione stared at the book that had been angrily tossed to the floor from her seat at the couch. It was practically unheard of for her to mistreat a book. In fact, she was so dedicated to the effort it took for it to come into existence that she refused to throw away even the most unworthy of fictional garbage, instead donating them to deceive others into wasting precious hours trying to make some good out of a myriad of plot holes and one dimensional characters.

The book currently on the floor, though, had attracted her distaste even more than the atrocious Monster Book of Monsters she had been forced to beat into submission at the beginning of third year.

Her relationship with Lucius was certainly already in a fragile state. Despite his agreement with her terms and even his begrudging acceptance, there was a part of him that was very angry at her. Lucius did not like to feel excluded, especially when it was in expense of not only himself but those he loved. His letters were still terse at points, despite telling her that he loved her, and his responses came much more slowly and his letters much less frequently than they had before he had known she intended to fight against Lord Voldemort.

Now, she had to add more issues because of outdated and ridiculous social etiquette and archaic magical laws.

Lucius would not be pleased to hear that she had to give Roderick Nott the opportunity to win her affection. That was what the book had told her.

According to stupid laws from the 13th century, she was obligated to give the man a good portion of her free time. To be exact, it was expected of her to spend time with him at least 2 times out of three weeks for no less than 12 hours total. She was expected to correspond with him in a timely manner as well, and even accept his gifts (if she had accepted gifts from her other suitor, which she had).

According to record, circumstances similar to her own were exceedingly rare. An heir to a Sacred 28 family had only officially courted someone of low birth of his own volition two times. Once had been a true love match, in which case going along with the time requirements had likely been a boon. The other time, the suitor had only done it to spite a rival family. He had successfully won the woman's affection and proposed to her. Then, the contested witch had mysteriously disappeared before they could marry, leaving him to marry his original intended. It had only worsened the feud between the Malfoy and Weasley families of the late 1700s.

Hermione's situation was even more unique. As she had thought about it, Roderick Nott, she was sure, had proposed the courtship in an effort to marry someone that the Dark Lord greatly approved of. It would heighten his power within the Death Eater ranks, though she still had not heard that title attributed to them, as well as potentially protect him from the Dark Lord's scorn.

What Roderick didn't know was that she was actually spying on the Dark Lord and attempting to destroy him. He was only make her mission more difficult, and she was unsure what to say. Lucius would certainly find it suspicious that Roderick Nott would wish to court her, especially considering he didn't know she was actually working for the Dark Lord half of the time.

Deciding it was time to bite the proverbial bullet, she stood up and crossed from the couch to her desk, plopping down in the wooden seat. She took out a quill and wrote the letter that she knew was necessary but completely unwanted.

 _Dear Lucius,_

 _I am writing to share with you rather unwelcome developments. I was unaware of many of the pureblood traditions relating to marriages. I believed our relationship was seen as completely exclusive in the magical world and did not realize that without a contract others could propose courtships._

 _My ignorance caused me to inadvertently accept a courtship proposal from Roderick Nott while I was at the Black-Lestrange wedding yesterday. I wish to convey my absolute loyalty to you. I have no intentions to accept him and after the required six months of "consideration", I will happily fill out a betrothal contract with you to prevent this happening in the future._

 _We both, unfortunately incorrectly, assumed that no one would attempt to come between us after the hurdle of your father had been passed._

 _Roderick Nott not only stated his intentions but publicly swore his fealty to me. As a result, I cannot dismiss him before the required amount of time._

 _I am sure you are angry, and I am, too. I am so sorry that my ignorance has caused this problem, but I wish to assure you that it is not much of a problem. You will be away for the next six months anyway, so most of the requirements of you, as the primary suitor, are fulfilled without effort on your part. I will see Roderick the absolute minimum of what is required of me._

 _Please write back soon. I love you, Lucius, and six months is not a long time in the grand scheme of things. We have the rest of our lives together, as long as you want it._

 _ **Yours,**_ _Hera Elias_

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Hermione walked into the restaurant in Diagon Alley with her shoulders back and head held high as she gazed over the tables looking for her… _date._ She wore the most conservative outfit she could gather, as well as noticeably muggle. A black turtleneck pullover was paired with a knee length tweed pencil skirt and grey opaque tights.

A host quickly approached her and was about to speak when she saw Roderick Nott standing from a table in the back. She met his eyes coolly before looking at the host. "Thank you, sir, but my companion is seated over there," she said, gesturing toward Roderick, who was making his way toward them.

The host nodded and bowed lightly to Roderick once he arrived. After a dismissive nod, the host went to stand behind his small podium.

Roderick smiled warmly at her, "Miss Elias. Thank you so much for making yourself available for dinner tonight. May I?" He held out his arm, and she silently looped it through his before being led to their table.

Roderick pulled out her chair and gently slid it underneath her as she sat. Resuming his own seat, he smiled again, though it was with amusement now. "Do you intend to speak to me?"

She frowned, "Did you know?"

He shrugged, smirking now. "I know a lot of things. Though not quite as academically geared as most of your circle of friends, I am not a fool."

She glared, lightly. "Did you know that I was unaware of such customs when you proposed this… whatever this is?"

His lips quirked charmingly. "I was unsure. Granted, I was unaware of such a possibility before my father brought it up to me. You, however, are much more of a reader. Still, I thought there was a good chance of it when I looked at ministry records for a betrothal contract between you and Lucius and didn't find one."

Her glare darkened, but the change seemed to only heighten his pleasure. "I suppose you are equally aware that I am not interested in pursuing a relationship with you? Betrothal contract or not, I am committed to Lucius."

He chuckled lightly. "That's why I asked if you were going to speak to me. I can imagine what is going through your head. You have resolved to not even give me an iota of a chance with you. As far as you are concerned, this is merely six months of inconvenience that you will bear with as much dignity as possible."

She frowned, watching as a waiter poured her a glass of red wine to match the one Roderick had before him. "Why even bother, considering you know my intentions?"

He smiled, "You are stubborn and determined. They are some of your most attractive traits. You should consider that you are not the only one to possess them. I am determined to make you change your mind by showing you that I have just as much to offer you as Lucius does. In fact, I have already offered you much more, have I not? By marrying me, you will take over the headship of House Nott. Such a thing is unheard of in a dark family."

She frowned, "Yes. Do you want to state why you would give so much up to me? Nott, we both know you did not approve of my relationship with Lucius while we were at Hogwarts. You were dismissive of me at the very best. Now, you are willing to give me your title? And your gold and property along with it to a woman who you barely know anything of, shy of the fact that she is an orphan of no obvious means? Perhaps I should be questioning your intelligence."

"I think it is important to question the intelligence of any man you might consider marrying. It would be a shame for you to be with someone that cannot satisfy you intellectually. I believe I am up to the task."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "Considering that I am aware of how intelligent you are, I will not disrespect you by telling you obvious lies. My father and I are totally throwing our lot in with Lord Voldemort. We believe he is the right man to fix the problems the magical world is currently facing. It is obvious to even the most dimwitted, except perhaps Cygnus Black, that the Dark Lord considers you to be highly valuable to him. Why would I not wish to closely ally myself with him? Through a relationship with you, I automatically will gain power and position with him. Treating you as anything less than he would is, I believe, going to turn out to be a death sentence."

She snorted, "Well, with motives like that I might as well write to Lucius and tell him I wish to marry you tomorrow!" Her sarcasm was biting, but his response was as calm as usual.

He took a sip of his wine, "I am a Slytherin. The day I do not have some sort of plan or ulterior motive is the day I die. Now, if I may continue…"

"Please," she encouraged, rolling her eyes slowly.

"The reservations I had about you while we were at Hogwarts no longer exist. First, and most shallowly, is your beauty. I could easily see that even while at school. You are a beautiful, poised woman that makes even the most elite of women look at you in awe. While I do not mean to boast, our looks complement each other, and together we will look every bit the power couple we will become."

"Second, you are obviously powerful, exceedingly so if Lord Voldemort would grant you such a position at this early stage. I believe he thinks we are just pawns in his game, but you… you are his queen. Without you, the game is nearly lost. Third, you are ambitious. I believe that, considering the support you already have acquired in such a short amount of time, there is little doubt that you could become minister someday if you choose. Regardless of what you wish to do, though, your name will become known in every magical household. To have the House of Nott attached to that would certainly be something I would like to see."

"Third, I think it is quite obvious that whatever children we had would be a credit to my house. Marriages between the Sacred 28 are overdone and resulting in fertility issues, I believe. For the last four generations, the Nott family has had only a single child born. We are not the only ones to struggle to have an heir. Two is generous. You are fresh, powerful blood, and I believe you would be a good mother. Here, let's look over the menu," he said, handing hers to her.

She took the menu from him, slightly gobsmacked at his rehearsed response. He was treating this almost as if it was a job interview. She supposed, in a way, it was.

A few minutes later, after ordering, he smiled at her. "What questions do you have for me?"

She sighed, "Why waste my time? The Malfoys are not beneath the Notts, and I actually love Lucius. Why would I decide to throw that away for someone that has only a begrudging respect for me and what I could offer?"

He shook his head. "Oh, no…I can promise that my respect for you is not with limitation. I admire you, and I am shocked how quickly you have made a name for yourself. I suspected you to ultimately become a trophy wife to Lucius, though an appealing one. Is that what you wish for yourself?"

"Perhaps it is!" she hissed, angrily.

He smirked, "Liar. You wish to have credit and to be respected for your talents. Lucius promises the ability to do that at his side… I wish for you to do it while _I_ am at _yours_. With me, you will hold the majority of the power. As to love, who is to say that it cannot be between us if you give it a chance?"

She shook her head, "Lucius does not wish to limit my power."

He took a slow sip of the wine. "What do you make of Abraxas and Adeline? Do they love each other? My father thinks so," he said, quietly.

She nodded, "They do. Deeply."

Roderick smiled then, and inclined his head minutely. "My father says Adeline was once a promising student of the headmaster. She was poised to be quite powerful by her own right, but then she married Abraxas at the request of her family. What does she do now?"

"She… she…"

"What input has she personally had in government? What business does she tend and accrue? Abraxas loves her and respects her thoughts, but does she _truly_ control anything? Other than hosting parties and subtly working her husband toward her own desires, what does she do?"

Hermione silently looked at him, and he reached across the table to take her hand. In her shock, she didn't even remove it. "Is that what you wish to be? Do you wish to be manipulating your husband to get what you want or _taking_ what you want yourself? That is what _I_ can offer you. Power by your own right with the backing of an ancient house and a husband who serves you? The beauty of you would be wasted by using a conduit."

In another time, his argument was one she had made for herself. Ron had wanted her to become his wife and mother to his children. He would have wanted that to be her sole priority, but she had wanted more. It had been one of the deciding factors in why she had decided to end things with him. Then, she had been cast off, trying fruitlessly to make a name for herself beyond the war without the clout or coin to do it. Roderick Nott was promising her exactly what she had wanted.

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 _The beauty of you would be wasted by using a conduit…_

He had allowed her to leave after dinner, well before their prescribed 6 hours had passed. His words had danced through her head ever since. She knew, logically, that his words served no purpose. Lucius loved her and did not try to hold her back. And, ultimately, her mission to destroy Voldemort had to take priority over her plans for a life after him. Still, if she settled down with Lucius… would she become Adeline?

It wasn't as if Adeline was weak or useless, but… she was not what Hermione wished to be. If Adeline had had more power in her relationship… would the need of Hermione to ever come back have ever even existed? Perhaps if Adeline hadn't assumed the primary role of wife, though beloved, Lucius would have never tried to emulate his father as a boy.

No… Adeline was a powerful and intelligent witch, but she did operate my maneuvering Abraxas in the direction she hoped he would choose. She only wielded power because he loved her, and she had no adult achievements of her own outside of her son (who would become a death eater and destroy his family if left to his own devises). Though she respected Adeline and her abilities, she did not want to become her…

She loved Lucius, and had no intentions of breaking her word to him. But… why wouldn't Roderick's words stop ringing in her ears?

She wished she had heard from Lucius. Perhaps his encouragement would be able to break Roderick's proverbial spell. Alas, he had not responded to her letter yet, and it had been five days. She knew he had received it as her owl had already returned without a response. She was in the dark, and she felt like it was blanketing around her.

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Her letter from Lucius arrived two days after her first outing with Roderick. She had just finished teaching her class when Lucius's eagle owl flew in through the open window and landed on her desk. His powerful wings caused several student papers to fly off of the desk, and she sighed as she wandlessly sent a spell to collect them.

She nervously took the letter and opened it.

 _Hera,_

 _I apologize it has taken me so long to respond. I have been struggling with how to communicate what I wish to say._

 _I think it is quite expected that I am upset, though not particularly with you. I should have foreseen that this could be a problem and made sure that this option was not available to other men. I foolishly did not see the possibility that this could happen._

 _I know you love me, and you know I love you. I am confident that I have just as much to offer you as Roderick does. Because of these things, I am not overly worried about you selecting him over me. I believe that you were just ignorant of this. I should have been more traditional and asked for a contract rather than leave it to chance. Please forgive me._

 _I do question why he would have such a change of heart regarding you. He certainly was not pleased that I would "lower myself" to pursue you while we were at Hogwarts. I want to encourage you to be wary of him and whatever intentions he has. Though he was not a close friend, I am well aware of the fact that he certainly is cunning and ambitious enough to have been sorted correctly. There_ is _a reason, and I hope we can discover what it is soon._

 _It is quite tempting to return and challenge him to a wizard's duel. Unfortunately, it is not legal to do that until the six month courting period has passed._

 _During Christmas, I will be sure to acquire you a separate room here, as we are not allowed to share. That will likely be the most trying part of the next six months… seeing you and not being able to make love to you will be very difficult. As it stands, I will be home March fifteenth to attend to some business that will require your participation… I love you, Hera._

 _Yours,_

 _Lucius_

Putting the letter aside, Hermione allowed herself a long exhale, feeling a weight slip off of her shoulders with it. Lucius continually surprised her, and he had done it again tonight.

She did not know how he remained so cool headed, though she was sure it was partly for show. Still, she was relieved that he did not blame her for her gross misstep.

At least the only thing she had to worry about was several friends becoming Death Eaters, the murder of hundreds of innocents, horcruxes created by Voldemort, spying without being caught, changing the future, and Roderick bloody Nott. She pressed a hand to her head as it started to hurt suddenly. She needed a drink.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

On the first day of October, she was invited to Voldemort's townhouse for last minute drinks "along with the suitor of your choice". Considering that it was inevitable that Roderick would one day be in a room again with her and the Dark Lord at the same time, and Lucius was in Russia, it was with a steady hand that she owled Roderick the invitation to join her. He accepted within the hour.

It was at eight that night that Hermione could be found walking up the short walkway to the townhouse, her arm stiff as it was laced through her "companion" of the evening. Roderick looked happy and smug as he banged the old fashioned door knocker. "You look beautiful, by the way," he said, smiling at her appreciatively.

"Thank you," she said, half mindedly.

One of Voldemort's silent elves opened the door and ushered them in before gesturing to the sitting room. They entered to see that they were not the only guests for the evening. Rodolphus and Antonin were seated on a couch together, while Voldemort and Bellatrix were talking quietly next to the fireplace. They looked up when Roderick and Hermione entered the room, and Hermione noticed that Rodolphus and Antonin did not look pleased. For her part, she was less than pleased to see them as well. She had hoped they would be able to stay away from the Dark Lord as much as possible.

"Ah, Mr. Nott and Miss Elias! I am so pleased that you could join us," Voldemort said, crossing the room to take Hermione's hand and kiss it delicately.

"You look lovely, Hera. And, Mr. Nott, I must commend you for an excellent use of Slytherin cunning in an effort to match yourself with such a worthy witch."

A scoff from behind him had Voldemort whirl around to glare at Bellatrix. "Madam Lestrange? Do you have something you wish to say?"

"No, my Lord," Bellatrix said, glaring at Hera without breaking eye contact.

Voldemort returned his gaze to the new couple in front of him. "Mr. Nott, I require a moment with Miss Elias in private. Is that acceptable?"

Roderick nodded, bowing his head lightly. "Of course, my Lord." As Voldemort led her out of the room, Hermione smirked upon noticing Roderick's growing discomfort. Between Bellatrix's hatred of her and Antonin and Rodolphus's friendship with Lucius, he would not find a friendly conversation in the room.

Voldemort led her to his study and motioned to one chair while he took the one of the opposite side of his large desk. Once seated, Voldemort snapped his fingers and a house elf appeared with two glasses of wine. "Do you know why I requested your presence here tonight, Hera?" he asked, calmly, taking a sip.

She shook her head. "Not specifically, my Lord. Though I imagine you wished to see me with my new… suitor." The last word tasted bad on her tongue, and she did not make a move to hide her expression.

The Dark Lord chuckled, raising his glass to her in a mock toast. "I am quite impressed with young Mr. Nott. He had the gumption not only to challenge the Malfoys but to seemingly force a potential relationship with a woman that could easily overpower him. That is, unless, you knew of his intentions and welcomed them?"

She sneered, "I most certainly do not welcome them."

Voldemort nodded, "Yes, I suspected as much. Miss Elias, I do hope you are willing to honor tradition and truly give Mr. Nott a chance."

Hermione frowned. "My Lord, if I may be so bold, what matter is it to you? I was under the impression you approved of my relationship with Lucius."

"Yes, I do approve of your selection. However, it would not be good to cause strife within my ranks so early in our crusade. I request that you fulfill your end of this arrangement. At the end, you are free to choose whomever you wish with my blessing."

She nodded. "My magic and the law dictates as such, my Lord. I have to intention of treating Roderick unfairly unless he attempts to deceive me or oversteps his bounds."

"And if he does?"

She glared at the thought, "He will regret it. As long as my decision stays my own, there will be no repercussions other than a continued dislike of him."

Voldemort raised an eyebrow. "I was under the assumption that a young witch such as yourself would at least find him to be palatable."

Hermione took a sip of her own wine. "He is good looking, but I have no intention of tasting him, my Lord. He sees me as beneath him."

"Yet he promised you his house. He positioned himself to be lower than you. Surely you can acknowledge that his offer is, at least, intriguing."

She shook her head, "I intend not to think about it, my Lord. A few dates and gifts from another man will not change my feelings for Lucius."

Voldemort nodded again. "Still, I hope you also consider the fact that you do not have to make a selection. You are still young, and you have no need to secure a husband that you are not pleased with. For a woman such as yourself, selection does not dwindle for a very long time, even if the object of your desires is married. See what both young men have to offer would be my advice."

Hermione bit back a response that sounded very much like yelling at the man that she didn't want his ruddy advice. She did not think he would tolerate outright rudeness toward him very well at all.

"Perhaps you hope that I will form an attachment with Roderick, thus nullifying your promise to not approach Lucius? Roderick already seems quite eager to follow you," she said, trying to sound unaffected and non-threatening.

The Dark Lord chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "So suspicious! It is great fortune on your part that I find you so intelligent and amusing. Others would not fare so well from questioning my motives."

She nodded, knowing it was a good time to back down. "Yes, my Lord."

"Now, as to the other reason I wished to speak with you privately… My guest list was not random tonight, as I am sure you have guessed."

She looked at him silently, waiting for him to continue. Finally, he did. "The people here tonight are the next generation of my followers. I am sure more will join them, but these are shaping to be the most important. Avery, Crabbe, and perhaps even that dense Goyle boy will be here in the future. Nevertheless, these are the closest to being your peers. I wish for them to reconcile themselves with that information as well as your position quickly. I think the new Mrs. Lestrange will cause the most problems for you, and I do not want to have to publicly coax you to respond if she is disrespectful. Put her in her place when it is necessary, and when she expects me to rebuke you, I will handle it."

Hermione nodded, feeling a mixture of anticipation and guilt for the anticipation. "Yes, my Lord."

His eyebrows raised before a satisfied smile quirked his lips slightly. "You seem pleased," he said.

"I will perform the functions of my job," she said, clearly, not owning up to the fact that the idea of cursing Bellatrix was pleasing. She wasn't quite prepared to accept that bit of darkness in her soul, yet.

"Very well. Come, we mustn't leave our guests waiting for too long," he stood from his seat and ushered her out of the study and back into the sitting room.

The scene they walked into was not exactly peaceful. Rodolphus was standing near Bellatrix, glaring at Roderick while Bellatrix looked on gleefully. Antonin and Roderick were faced off with their wands trained on each other.

"Your ambition trumps your loyalty, Nott!" Antonin spat. Hermione could see his other hand twitching lightly, and she could tell he was about to hex Roderick. She glanced at Voldemort who was looking at her with expectation.

Sighing, she drew her own wand. "Seperare!"

A magenta light flew between the two men and exploded energy, knocking both back several feet and onto the floor. They looked toward her in surprise, and she glared at them both.

"Antonin…Nott, on your feet."

"Hera, he…"

"Antonin, on your feet."

The two men stood, and Hermione walked toward them. "Antonin, what is done is done. Lucius is well aware of what is happening and my position in it. Furthermore, I do not need you to defend me in this matter. While Lucius and I appreciate your loyalty and friendship, I will not tolerate an attack on someone who has not done anything to harm me."

Antonin muttered under his breath, still glaring at Roderick. Hermione followed his gaze, "Roderick, you should have seen something like this coming. No matter your intentions, you did know you were potentially deceiving me and forcing me to enter into an arrangement I did not welcome. Deception on your part in the future will not be handled so… painlessly."

Roderick met her eyes and nodded before glancing at the Dark Lord, standing behind her right shoulder. He looked fearful for a moment before Voldemort spoke up.

"Wonderful, Hera. Mr. Nott, Hera is free to do with you as she wishes. Stop looking at me like that. If you displease me to the point of receiving punishment, there will be no hesitation on my part."

Bellatrix giggled from her position next to the fire, and Rodolphus looked at her as if she was a bit mad before taking a half step away. A glance from Voldemort silenced her.

"I wanted the five of you here to foster a good relationship between yourselves and to see to your level of commitment to our cause. You are all powerful witches and wizards that have a lot to offer to our world, but a lot of work needs to be done. We are standing on a precipice and have been for a while now. Muggles and even their rare magical spawn, for the most part, are causing our society to become corrupt. Do any of you think that this is the world the founders or Merlin would be wanting us to live in? We are becoming a joke. Even the Americans are not so dense as to mingle with the mundane. As a result, their magical society is booming as ours declines. We need a time of fortification for our traditions. To do that, we need more than just men my age that will become overlooked as time passes. We need your generation to see the need and not be swayed by the temptations the muggle world has to offer. That is my purpose in recruiting you to our cause."

"What are your goals, my Lord?" Rodolphus asked, boldly.

Voldemort nodded. "Ultimately, I believe we need to overthrow the current government and rebuild it. In order to do that, I will need legalists and politicians that can push the necessary ideas to the right people and eventually stand at the helm of our new government. Committing to the cause so early only heightens your chance of being a person with great prestige and power in the British magical community. Mr. Dolohov is promising to be a very talented barrister, and your family's business acumen will help us economically. Mr. Nott is very politically minded, like his father before him, and is able to use his power of persuasion to help our cause. Mrs. Lestrange and Ms. Elias are good examples of strong, capable witches that can set a trend for our society. They are worthy of recognition and giving them positions based on their abilities and not their gender is one change that we should keep."

"Hera?" Bellatrix asked, jokingly.

Hermione, having expected a jab, flicked her wand, sending a strong stinging hex to Bellatrix's leg, causing her to yelp. "I wouldn't finish that thought," she growled, wand aimed at Bellatrix's head. The dark witch looked at Voldemort for support, who smiled at her before continuing.

"The people I have selected to joins our ranks are all useful to it in a myriad of ways. Some more than others. While not all will be suitable for much regarding the changes our government needs, there are many that will not heed Mr. Dolohov's legal work or Mr. Nott's political nudgings. Some will need to be forced to submit or have the option to contest our desires taken away."

Antonin and Rodolphus looked at Hermione subtly, seeming to plan their reaction based on her cue. She kept her face straight, though, and they straightened their shoulders.

Rodolphus spoke, "I am not… I have never been much for harming people, my Lord."

Voldemort raised an eyebrow. "Few are, at least initially. Still, we have to look at it as fighting for the greater good. If we can do something without violence, we will. Unfortunately, not all are willing to bend, and those _must be taken care of."_

"And you will be deciding in what way you wish for us to serve?" Antonin asked, quietly.

Voldemort nodded. "Yes. Although, you might receive orders on my behalf from other members. Miss Elias should be considered a go-between for a lot of the things I wish to convey to any of you. I am working out a way to let you know when you are urgently needed, but it is not quite finalized yet."

Hermione felt sick, suspecting that his efforts would eventually lead to them being branded with the Dark Mark.

"I am most eager for a way to communicate directly with you, my Lord," Bellatrix said, throwing a glare at Hera as she rubbed her thigh. Hermione smirked in return.

"That is all of business for now. Please expect summons to be here or at another meeting place to be delivered by owl via myself or Hera. We can turn our conversation to lighter topics," Voldemort said, smiling charmingly.

 _Author's Note: Thanks for all of the awesome reviews. Keep them coming! I am considering taking up a small side story (maybe a longer one shot or a few chapters) but I think you will all largely approve. Next chapter... Death Eaters. A whole lot of them._


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the brilliant mind behind Harry Potter, and I have no part in it. Nor do I profit from this, unfortunately._

The Bond Servant

Chapter Eight

The month of October passed without much fanfare. There were two more meetings of the Death Eaters, and Voldemort lived up to his word of growing their ranks. At the beginning of the month, Crabbe and Goyle had shown up, and at the end of the month Sterling Parkinson and Jonah Avery had joined.

Hermione had continued to meet with Roderick on their mandated dates, and while she still had no intention of selecting him over Lucius, she was starting to think of him as a friend. If their tentative friendship would survive her eventual rejection, she was unsure.

Roderick had turned out to be much more interesting than she had originally believed. He had been so accomplished at sneering quietly in the background during their time at Hogwarts that she had not considered the possibility that a decent person could be behind the façade.

She learned that, while he enjoyed the political game he was being taught to play by his father, he also was somewhat accomplished at potions and herbology. He, much like Neville Longbottom, had a natural green thumb, and he spent much of his spare time in the greenhouses at Nott Manor. He enjoyed collecting rare plants and tried to create new hybrid plants, many of which gave the Blast Ended Skrewts a run for their money as far as plants went. Though she had never had much interest in Herbology outside of how they could be incorporated into potions, she found that it was interesting to talk to Roderick on the subject he was so passionate about. His green eyes lit up in excitement, and his hands were animated as he spoke.

The Daily Prophet have picked up on the story, and she had tried to avoid the publication to the best of her ability. Fortunately, with her rather busy schedule, it was not very difficult to avoid the press. The few times where she had been found, she had refused to comment on the situation. Still, photographs of her strolling along Diagon Alley or having a drink together in Hogsmeade always made the society page, and the lack of pictures with Lucius had many people wondering if she was leaning toward accepting Nott.

At the beginning of November, she was enlisted by the Dark Lord to inform all of the followers of a mandatory meeting that would be taking place at Bellatrix and Rodolphus's new home near Dorset. She was not exactly excited to be going to Bellatrix's home, even preferring the idea of spending more time on Grosvenor Crescent with Voldemort's creepily quiet elves.

Considering she had the night off from work and little homework, she chose to join Roderick for dinner before their late night jaunt to the house of the bitch from Hell.

They ate at a small Greek restaurant on the southwest edge of Dorchester, casting a few subtle spells that would make the muggle patrons and workers not pay a significant amount of attention to their conversation.

"The Dark Lord told my father that tonight would be important," Roderick said, quietly.

Hermione nodded. "Yes. He seemed excited about something when he asked me to arrange it."

She was, of course, wary of anything that would make Voldemort excited, but she had no reason to vocalize that fear yet, and she was not sure if Roderick was the right outlet. He seemed to truly support the Dark Lord with no reservations so far. Though, she did hope that would change in the future.

"How exactly did you get involved with him anyway? I'm a bit surprised that you would share a good number of his ideals," Roderick said, sounding a bit reserved. Was he nervous about her response?

She shrugged, taking a bite of her salad. "We have common interests, and he proposed to teach me some things that are hard to learn. As to his ideas for change… many of them I do have an issue with, but I can oftentimes understand his point of view. I think, above all, he respects power, and he knows that I have it."

"That's quite bold of you to say," he interjected, smirking at her.

She raised an eyebrow in response, and he chuckled. "I'm not arguing. I can remember quite vividly the dueling competition. You are powerful, quick, and I suspect you were holding back on what spells you would use. Or is my estimation of your abilities too grand?"

She laughed in response. "You sure do love to flatter me, don't you, Roderick?"

He nodded his head in respect to her. "I do. I hope to do it for a very long time as well."

"Roderick…" she said. On their dates, he often brought up the situation, asking her to try to see him as an actual rival to Lucius. He did not defend himself this time, merely staring at her silently. She sighed.

"Roderick, over the past few months I have come to respect you and enjoy our conversations. I consider you a friend, and I can even acknowledge that you have the ability to be a good husband to any number of women. I am in love with Lucius, though, and I don't see that changing anytime soon."

"What of your plans for yourself?" He asked, quietly.

"I will finish up at St. Mungo's next spring, and I am hoping that the headmaster will request me to teach dueling full time at that point. According to him, the parents have written enough complimentary things about my teaching that the reservations as to my actual qualifications are easy to squash. If not, I will take up healing."

He frowned. "And Lucius? You'll marry him and…"

She nodded. "Yes, I'll marry him. We will work. We will have kids."

He sighed, "And… will you stop working when you have your children?"

She shrugged, unsure of the answer.

Roderick took a long drink of water before speaking again. "I just wish to point out that the Malfoy family has not had a lady of the house work once a child has been born in all of its known history. Whereas the Nott family has had several instances of this happening. I would not try to force you to be anywhere you didn't want to be, and I am confident that you can be a good employee and mother at the same time."

Hermione smiled at him, "Yes, Roderick, I know. I appreciate that, too, truly. Lucius is not his father or his grandfathers, though. He respects me and the decisions I make for myself."

Roderick sighed, "Very well, Hera. I'll enjoy what time I have with you, then." From the look in his eyes though, she could see that his hopes had not yet been squashed.

* * *

After dinner, they took a portkey to the home of Rodolphus and Bellatrix. While it was not a manor house, it was still rather grand. She was pleased upon entering to see that Bellatrix and Rodolphus had some sense of interior design (or at least knew to hire someone who did). It was surprisingly tasteful and warm inside, made up of a number of warm browns, taupes and creams with green accents. It had the vibe of a hunting lodge, slightly, despite the lack (thank goodness) of dead things on the walls.

Rodolphus greeted them quickly, and she was worried to see that he appeared to be quite pale. His arm was tense as he led her into the ballroom, which was modest by pureblood standard. "Rodolphus?" she asked, quietly, not trying to draw attention to them. He shook his head slightly, smiling as the occupants of the room looked up at three of them.

All of the known death eaters were in attendance, and it was the first time that had happened so far. In general, it was usually one generation or the other, with her and Voldemort being the common denominators.

She was surprised when several of the people in the room bowed lightly to her, while others sneered at her. Abraxas was in a corner speaking with Vaughn and Antonin, and he nodded stiffly at her when she met his eye. Cygnus and Bellatrix were standing next to the Dark Lord, and Bellatrix seemed to be practically bouncing with excitement.

The combination of the large gathering and Bellatrix's glee made Hermione's stomach protest. Something big and bad was going to happen tonight.

Voldemort met her eye and inclined his head toward her, smiling politely. He then looked around before clearing his throat. Almost as if everyone had been waiting to hear it, the room silenced and looked at him.

"Faithful comrades, thank you all for making the time to attend on this most auspicious of nights. Tonight, we stop being simply mixed company of people hoping to better our society but a _following_ that is _working_ to better society. In the future, November the 6th will be well known as the day change began!"

People clapped politely, and Voldemort nodded, accepting the praise eagerly.

"As with every forming political party, there is a need for us to have a name. I have thought carefully over this. Briefly, during my time at school, my friends and I went by the name the Knights of Walpurgis. It no longer suits me, though, and I have come up with a name that conveys exactly what I wish us to be. Power is desired by all, and we will need it to do what we have to in order to preserve our heritage. Though I know the vast majority of people here tonight hail from Slytherin house, there are noteable exceptions. Every house has something that our group here tonight will _need_. You will need to thirst for _knowledge_ , for without it, we are doomed to repeat past mistakes and to prove our efforts folly. You will need _loyalty_ to our cause, steadfast and true, not only to your leader, but to your fellow soldiers. You will need _bravery_ to face opposition at the extremes and not fear the consequences of doing what must be done. And you will need _cunning and ambition_ to see the path ahead and seize it when the opportunity strikes!"

"Who could oppose _you_ , my Lord?" Bellatrix said, reverently. She stared at him as if he was a god, and Hermione thought that, to Bellatrix, perhaps he was.

Voldemort smiled. "We will all face opposition, Mrs. Lestrange. There are others out there who will see what we are doing as wrong or unnecessary, and those are the people we will have to force into their rightful places. Perhaps they will even attempt to fight against us. That is where your collective name shall be known. It will strike fear into those who dare to raise their wands against you. The truly powerful never _die_. Their souls live on forever, and their names are written in the history books. You shall not fear dealing death, and you shall not fear succumbing to it. You shall eat death as if it is nourishment to your bodies, only building you up to become something greater than you were before, my _Death Eaters."_

Hermione shuddered at the words, and she watched as they washed over the other people in the room. A few looked nervous, a few looked thrilled, but most looked thoughtful before a look of acceptance came over their faces.

"I know many of you are worried about what you might have to do. I understand your concern, but you must blanket it under the idea that it is _necessary_ sometimes. So, tonight, I wish to help you see the necessity. Vaughn and Antonin Dolohov, come forward, please."

Hermione's eyes widened as the Dolohov men walked forward, bowing lightly. Voldemort nodded at them.

"Earlier this year, a great injustice was done. Eliyona, Vaughn's wife and Antonin's mother, was accosted by three muggles as she was walking in London. Simply for the money they expected her to have, she was beaten, raped, and murdered. I am sure that there is a muggle _somewhere_ on this Earth that is not craven and malicious, but I have yet to meet him. Tonight, in retribution for the loss they have suffered, I present a gift to the Dolohov's. Bellatrix? Rodolphus?"

Bellatrix and Rodolphus left the room, and the room waited nervously for them to return. When they did, it was with a young man, haggard and looking slightly worse for wear, and an older woman, floating unconscious behind them. Rodolphus lowered the man to the ground while Bellatrix dropped the elderly woman to the floor.

"The man you see here is one of the muggles that killed Eliyona Dolohov. Mrs. Lestrange was kind enough to release him from the muggle prison he was being held in. When he returned to his family home, Rodolphus helped Bellatrix bring both him and the woman that birthed him here."

The room hummed slightly, and a dangerous gleam entered Voldemort's eyes. "I know what many of you are thinking. _Even if the boy deserves what is coming to him, why his mother, too?_ The answer is simple. She _raised_ this monster. Muggles are incapable of providing the right atmosphere for a child. They are too hungry for their own desires to see to it that their children do not grow up thinking that they should get what they want by whatever means is necessary. Do you question it? What normal, upstanding wizard or witch has a child that commits such a heinous crime for a temporary pleasure? Muggles are breeding much more quickly than we are, and they are churning out murderers. They would see us destroyed if they knew about us, just as they have attempted to do in the past. Today, the young man and his neglectful mother will get what they _both_ deserve, justice for their sins against _us!"_

Hermione did not like the excited feel that was coming over the room. She looked at Antonin and Vaughn, worried to see that they did seem excited to be in the same room with Eliyona's killer. She wouldn't be able to stop them from what they were about to do.

"Vaughn, Antonin, everyone in this room has been affected by the tragedy that befell your house. Because of that, I request that everyone be given the chance to take their pound of flesh from the causes of it. When everyone is done, they are yours to do with as you wish."

Hermione could see a war was going on within Antonin, and he seemed to be losing. Quickly. Voldemort looked at the assembled room again. "You may do as you wish short of causing a fatal blow. I encourage you to take the opportunity now. It is not nearly as hard to kill a worthless, murderous muggle as it will be to kill an ignorant witch or wizard that opposes you."

Resolve settled around as Voldemort stepped toward the two unconscious muggles. "Enervate!"

The older woman immediately howled in pain, obviously having injured something when Bellatrix dropped her to the floor. The boy crawled toward his mother, calling out to her as he stared around them in fear at the assembled group. "Wh…why…?"

Voldemort aimed his wand at the boy. "Crucio!" His screams were shrill, and it was only a moment before he lost control of his bladder. Voldemort dropped the curse and stared around himself. His eyes stopped on Hermione, taking in her pale face. "Do I have any volunteers to begin?" Several people looked at her, as if expecting her to jump at the chance. She stayed silent, forcing her face to remain passive and not show fear of what she knew she was about to witness.

After a minute, a simpering voice spoke out. "My Lord, I live to serve you and our cause! Allow me, please!"

Voldemort looked at Bellatrix, smiling at her with pleasure. "Yes, I suppose it is only fair considering your hard work to bring them to us. Bellatrix, Rodolphus!"

The torture began in earnest. Rodolphus had cast a strong cramping curse on the son, watching him curl into a fetal position with a look of fear on his face that he only halfway managed to hide. Bellatrix, on the other hand, gleefully set to work on the mother, casting the Cruciatus on her immediately.

As it continued, the blood lust started to take over the room, and Hermione saw that the longer it went on the less humanized the victims were. The curses became progressively darker, almost as if the newly named Death Eaters were competing for the title of causing the most pain. Hermione fought not to look away, aware of Voldemort's gaze on her. He seemed to be accepting of her not joining in, but she was sure he would not accept dissention, even from her.

Abraxas seemed to be most in control of himself, glancing at her with an unreadable expression before taking his turn. He cast a bone breaking curse on the son, causing the bones in his legs to shatter severely. Hermione knew that if the boy were destined to live tonight, he would never walk normally again. She also knew that he wouldn't survive much longer. He glanced at her again as he walked away, and she gave him a miniscule nod. He couldn't refuse or show mercy to them, and both were destined to die. Abraxas could save lives in the future by helping to end theirs, though she knew he didn't want to. He was not the sort to want to dirty his hands or inflict unnecessary pain. Abraxas was cold, but he was not cruel.

Roderick seemed to take a certain amount of pleasure in his actions, and she could see the blood lust in his eyes. She found herself thinking in horror of the fact that a group of men spurned on by the actions of others could do many things they would never do alone. Roderick supplied a poison to them both, causing their skin to turn red hot and blood to leak from their eyes, blinding them.

Finally, Voldemort stepped forward after everyone had had their turn, many making a few turns, most noticeably Bellatrix. She was eager with the Cruciatus from the very beginning it seemed.

"Vaughn, Antonin, their lives are yours."

Vaughn walked confidently forward while Antonin hesitated slightly before being stopped by a hand on the shoulder of Voldemort. "That man, Antonin, if you can even call him a man… he beat and killed your mother. Her pain was such a pleasure to him that he was _aroused_ , and he raped her. He doesn't deserve your mercy. He deserves death."

Hermione saw the last of Antonin's reservations slip away as he made his way to stand at his father's side. The mother and son lay in a pool of their combined fluids. Neither could see, and they had lost their voices from screaming several minutes before. They whimpered pathetically, grasping onto each other's hands desperately. Hermione longed for a quick death for them both.

Vaughn kicked the son, one of his wife's murderers, in the head, causing him to spit out even more blood. "I hope you can hear me still… you took my son's mother, you bastard, so I'm taking yours."

He aimed his wand at the elderly woman. She had gone silent at his words, knowing the end was coming. Hermione saw her squeeze her son's hands, and fought off the tears that were threatening to overtake her sight.

"Crucio!"

Despite all of the pain the woman had already been through, it took an astonishing amount of time before she stopped screaming. For over five minutes, Hermione was sure, she managed to scream again through her ruined throat. Eventually, her mind just seemed to stop. Vaughn dropped her to the floor, and she did nothing, staring at the ceiling.

Hermione felt a fresh hatred for Bellatrix in that moment, now having seen exactly what it was that the Longbottoms had gone through at her hand. Vaughn looked at the body in what seemed to be surprise for a moment before Voldemort spoke. "Finish her, Vaughn."

"Avada Kedavra," he said, tensely, and the green light ended the body that had already lost its mind.

Vaughn then looked at his son and then the broken, whimpering man on the floor. "Antonin," he said, his accent thick and brusque.

Antonin's eyes left the body of the mother and glanced at his father in surprise for a moment. Hermione thought for a moment that he might refuse to do it. After a moment, he moved.

Antonin stalked the seven steps between him and the boy and used his foot to roll him onto his back. Hermione's eyes widened as she watched him crawl on top of the young man, straddling his chest as he glared at the man who had killed his mother. Five years at the most separated them.

Antonin studied the bloodied face for a moment in silence. Then, he reached over to the corpse of the mother and pulled off her glasses.

He aimed his wand at the glasses and cast a quiet charm. The glasses changed into a steely dagger, its silver handle glinting. He stared back down at the boy again. Taking the dagger firmly in one hand, he placed it under the ear of the boy, using his other hand to hold his face steady. He leaned down and whispered to the now silent victim. "Burn in Hell," and he slowly slid the knife from ear to ear, across the throat.

Hermione felt her stomach churn, and she fought not to throw up. The blood, so much blood, poured out of the gaping wound in his throat, and he gurgled as blood filled his lungs. All the while, Antonin sat on top of his victim, staring down at him with no expression. When the muggle man was dead, Antonin wiped the newly formed blade on a small amount of somewhat clean fabric at the waist of the deceased. Then, he stood and slid the knife between his belt and waist band. A memento.

A smooth hand came to rest on her back, and she heard Abraxas's voice whisper in her ear. "Pull it together, Hera," he implored, his tone calm and steady. She hadn't realized that her hands were shaking. She purposefully forced her eyes to take on a look of passivity and stilled her hands.

After the torture and murder for the evening had been completed and the bodies removed from the room, Voldemort spoke again. "Loyal Death Eaters, as previously stated, I appreciate your dedication to our cause and taking the time to be here when I call. However, I believe you can do more in this area. After much consideration, I have created a spell that will allow you to personally know when you are needed. It will give you the ability to apparate to the location I am in at any given time. It will also be a mark of solidarity, allowing you to know when conversing with someone where they stand on these most important issues we are fighting for. Who is willing to go first to receive my mark?"

Niall Nott stepped forward and motioned to Roderick, who was standing at Hermione's side again. Roderick glanced at her before going to stand next to his father. "My Lord, my son and I are honored to wear your mark," he said, kneeling. Roderick followed suit.

Voldemort smiled at them, showing a few too many teeth as he did so. "Prepare yourselves, the spell does cause a measure of pain, but it is over quickly. Please hold out your left arm, Niall Nott."

"Morsmordre!" And so, with a good amount of hissing and groaning, Niall Nott was the first officially marked Death Eater. When it was done, he was panting on the floor, cradling one of his arms as he looked at the brand.

Roderick was next. Having watched his father's reaction to the spell, he looked a bit more nervous as he held out his arm. His reaction was less grand than Niall's, though the final position, on his hands and knees panting in front of the Dark Lord, was the same.

One by one, the Death Eaters were marked, the Dark Lord calling them forward by name. "Abraxas Malfoy," the Dark Lord called.

"You were right," Abraxas said quietly, before leaving Hermione's side to approach Voldemort.

Bellatrix's reaction was strange. Despite the obvious urge to cry out, she kept a pained smile on her face the entire time. When it was over, she stared at the mark, running the fingers of the other hand over the burned flesh. "It is beautiful, my Lord."

Voldemort nodded in thanks, looking around at the assembled room. "Has anyone not been marked?" he asked.

Hermione tried to control her expression as she stepped forward, almost against her own will.

Voldemort smiled at her. "Yes, Hera Elias. I skipped over you on purpose. Please come forward."

Hermione approached, and went to hold out her left arm toward the Dark Lord. He shook it off, and reached for her right hand instead.

He didn't allow her time to prepare before he pushed the tip of his wand into her forearm. "Morsmorde!"

It burned terribly, and she clenched her eyes shut to fight against the tears as the Dark Mark was burned into her flesh. She kept to her feet, though, fighting against her reactions. She had certainly felt worse when her left arm was marked. By comparison, the physical pain was bearable. The mental… she was unsure if she would ever recover.

When it was finished, Voldemort looked at her with pride.

"Hera Elias is to hold a position of respect within my ranks. Of her generation, she shows a significant amount of promise. I have high hopes for her role in our future government and my expectations of her are great. If she approaches you at any point with orders on my behalf, I expect them to be obeyed as if I was in the room myself. Anyone who disrespects her position also disrespects me, and punishment will be swift. Am I understood?"

Murmurs were heard all around, even as the followers stated their acquiescence or nodded. She saw Roderick staring at her with pride and lust in his eyes and felt sick to her stomach once more. Abraxas also stood nearby, his face straight with that same unreadable expression in his eyes.

"The Dark Mark, as I have decided to call it, will be a symbol for our association. When you are needed, your individual mark will burn slightly, though not to the extent of tonight. Also, as a sign of respect, your title for me is to become second nature. You will refer to me as "my lord" when addressing me directly and "the Dark Lord" when speaking of me to others. If you refer to me by any other name, your mark will cause pain. You will also feel it when any other title is used for me and you hear it. This is a way for you to know that people _not_ respectful of our cause or my position are around. These people are to be reported. Again, am I understood?"

The room again murmured and nodded.

"Very well. The rest of the evening is yours. You may socialize, ask questions, or leave if you desire. Thank you for your attendance. I will see you all again soon, I am sure."

Hermione knew that she couldn't run from the room, no matter how much she wished to. She was comforted by Abraxas's presence. Her intended father-in-law came to stand at her side. "Hera?" he asked, quietly concerned now that no one was in hearing distance.

She turned and nodded at him, trying to smile bravely. He nodded in return.

A small group of people walked to stand a few feet away. "You must feel amazing, Dolohov. I mean, it was so _exhilarating_ , wasn't it? And you? For you, it was personal. While just entertainment for me, I have never felt so powerful in all of my life."

It was, of course, Bellatrix. She looked half crazed as she rambled on about how good it had felt to torture Eliyona's murderer and his mother. Hermione turned her head to watch as she spoke to Roderick, Antonin, and Rodolphus.

Abraxas squeezed her shoulder once before walking away, and Hermione took a breath before walking toward the group.

"…and you! You and your father got to finish them. I have to admit, I never saw you as particularly attractive or powerful, but it was practically thrumming when you slit that dirty muggle's throat!"

Rodolphus and Roderick were both watching as she approached, and Rodolphus started to clear his throat to gain his bride's attention. Hermione was sure that her anger was palpable.

She was _furious._ While she was unsure if Eliyona's killer had received a harsh enough punishment from the muggle justice system, she was sure he did not deserve what had happened here tonight. And his mother?! She was innocent of it! And Bellatrix had taken _joy_ out of dealing out that pain, wished she had been able to do more!

She joined the group silently, nodding lightly to Roderick and Rodolphus. Antonin was barely looking at anything, and responding only slightly to Bellatrix's praise. She knew if she stood there long enough, Bellatrix wouldn't be able to keep her mouth shut.

Bellatrix noticed her and tensed, turning to face her angrily. "Elias! I noticed you did not find the need to punish Eliyona's killers. Do you plan to make a habit of defying our Lord? Or perhaps you believe your friend's mother deserved what she got?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "We were given the option, with the exception of Vaughn and Antonin. I prefer not to cause harm if I can help it. I did, after all, make an oath to not cause harm to patients. While not my patients, I prefer not to cause pain unless absolutely necessary."

Bellatrix glared. "Yet it is _you_ that our Lord sees as _special?_ You are a joke, and eventually, he will realize what a fool he is for selecting you when there are so many more worthy followers available!"

"Hera, I believe that this falls underneath your jurisdiction," a cold voice said, quietly.

Hermione looked to her left at the same time as Bellatrix looked to her right. Voldemort stood there, angrily glaring at Bellatrix.

"My… my Lord. I didn't mean to insinuate…" Bellatrix started, dropping to her knees.

"Hera. Deal with this," he said again, taking several steps back but still watching.

For once, Hermione didn't bother to fight the urge she had. Bellatrix was going to become who she was going to be no matter _what_ Hermione did. This Bellatrix would gladly carve a slur into her arm if given the chance. And she had been _disgusting_ tonight. Her anger at Bellatrix combined with her anger at Voldemort and her anger at the situation stewed together inside of her.

She raised her wand, aiming it at Bellatrix who turned to face her, looking up at the rage on her face with fear.

"CRUCIO!" Hermione yelled, watching as the light struck Bellatrix. The dark witch screamed immediately, unable to withstand against the strength of the spell. And as Hermione watched she felt it… she felt a modicum of what Bellatrix or Voldemort must feel when they cast it. _Zealous glee_ overtook her mind as she watched Bellatrix Lestrange scream and beg for _her_ mercy. She was avenging that innocent mother who already had the weight of knowing her son was a killer, she was avenging the Longbottoms and all of Bellatrix's other magical victims. She was avenging _herself._ She held the spell for several minutes, and she was barely able to notice that the entire room was silently watching. It would be so _easy_ to hold it, to watch as any form of intelligence or cognitive ability fled from the shell of this heartless monster she was hurting.

Finally, an unnaturally cold hand on her shoulder broke her attention. "Enough of that. You cannot ruin her mind."

Hermione heeded her master's words and dropped the curse, leaving Bellatrix whimpering on the floor.

"Levicorpus!" she said, watching as the body of her nemesis was risen into the air. When she was at around ten feet, Hermione dropped the curse, watching as Bellatrix fell to the floor, breaking an ankle if the sound of the snap was anything to go by. Now Bellatrix would know what that poor old woman had felt. At least to a degree.

"Does your ankle hurt, Bellatrix? I can fix that!"

She aimed the wand at the broken ankle and cast her spell. "Ossio Dispersimus!" Waving the wand over the lower legs, Hermione watched in amusement as the bones below the knee in each leg simply disappeared. She then leaned down and whispered to Bellatrix, though the silent room could hear every word. "You will have several days of healing to think about your gross misstep. I hope this has taught you your lesson about challenging me, Bellatrix. I am just as committed to my cause as you are, and you are one person that I don't mind getting rid of in the least."

Bellatrix whimpered again, and Hermione stood and backed up to stand near the Dark Lord's side. Voldemort nodded to Cygnus who, with the help of a shell shocked Rodolphus, took Bellatrix from the room. Looking around at the rest of the group, he spoke again. "I am sure that no one else will be foolish enough to question my decisions regarding leadership within the ranks. If so, I am sure that Miss Elias or I can address your issues."

The group murmured and dispersed, either leaving or returning to their own hushed conversations.

She was about to walk off when Voldemort's hand landed on her shoulder again. "I am proud of you, Hera."

The gravity of what would cause someone like _Voldemort_ to be proud hit her like a tidal wave. Bile rose in her throat as she realized exactly what she had done and what she had just felt. She needed to leave. She forced calm into her voice as she responded, though she was sure that her face was not as smooth as it should be. Voldemort didn't seem to be upset by her lack of sincerity. "Thank you, my Lord. I am quite tired, so I think I will be leaving now."

Voldemort nodded, "Yes. You are free to go."

Hermione left the room with her head held high and speaking to no one. She apparated quickly to Princeton Place and went into her kitchen. Pouring water into her teapot with shaking hands, she tried to calm her mind. It was a moment later that she felt the wards tingling. Someone unapproved was at her ward line.

Wand in hand, she approached her front door and opened it.

Abraxas Malfoy was standing at the end of the walkway, behind her gate, staring at her.

Emotions finally overwhelmed her again, though of a very different sort, as she lowered the wards. She fell to her knees there on her stoop, crying hysterically. He had to have ran to reach her so quickly because a moment later, she was scooped up into strong arms and held to his hard chest. No words were needed.

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks for all of the awesome reviews! I am breaking the 40,000 mark with this chapter which I am hoping will escalate reviews as we get into more readers. So, there we have the first "Death Eater" meeting that is similar to what you might expect from the original timeline. Hope you liked it! It was... interesting to write. Next up the beginning of the Christmas holidays which means that LUCIUS will be back in the picture for a bit. And Roderick. Please review- it makes me happy!


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns and profits from the creation of Harry Potter; I do not._

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Nine**

Hermione woke up the next morning to see that she had been placed in her bed, still in her dark dress robes. The last thing she remembered was crying as Abraxas Malfoy, _of all people_ , held her. She was unsure how long she had cried before falling asleep, though she did vaguely remember him carrying her into the house.

Sitting up in bed, she could easily see that her small bedroom was empty, save herself. She glanced at the clock, seeing that it was two hours after her report time for St. Mungo's, and cursed as she ran to her wardrobe. She had forgotten to set an alarm.

Running downstairs in her uniform, she came to a quick halt upon seeing that Abraxas was seated on her couch. "Uhm… hi," she said, quietly, looking at him in surprise.

He nodded in response. "Good morning. Do not worry about work today. I contacted Healer Forsythe and told him you were under the weather. You are off for the day but expected back tomorrow."

"I… uhm… thank you?"

"Is that a statement or question?" he asked, stoic except for the miniscule glint of playfulness in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I just had expected you to return to Malfoy Manor," she replied, taking the last few steps down to the landing. "Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?"

Abraxas raised an eyebrow. "It is half past ten. I have been up for several hours, and the elves from the manor already supplied me with breakfast."

Hermione nodded, stupidly, unsure why Abraxas was still at her home at all. The question must have shown on her face.

"After last night's… events, I thought it important that we have a conversation," he said, confidently. "Twinkie!" When the house elf appeared, Abraxas continued. "Please fetch Miss Elias a cup of tea, as well as one of those blueberry scones that she likes so much and a few eggs cooked over hard, extra crispy."

Hermione sat down in the arm chair facing the couch, her eyes meeting never straying from Abraxas. "Thank you," she sat, quietly, surprised that he had taken note of what her favorite things for breakfast were. "What do you want to talk about, specifically? Do you want Adeline to be here, too?"

Abraxas shook his head. "No, I already told her what I had decided when I flooed her to say I would be staying the night here."

"You _slept_ here?" she asked, befuddled.

He narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips slightly, in a way that looked so much like Lucius when he was annoyed that she had to suppress a smirk. "I do require sleep occasionally. I typically try to sleep at least once in a twenty-four hour period."

She rolled her eyes, and continued to stare at him, waiting for him to broach whatever he wanted to talk about.

"It is not often that I have to admit to being wrong. Usually, I am not wrong. Occasionally, I _am_ wrong but never admit to it. Rarely, like today, I am forced to concede by error in judgement."

"And how were you wrong?" she asked, hoping that he had finally seen the light.

"With great fear of the words ' _I told you so',_ as I am sure Adeline will take care of that wifely duty later, I must admit that Lord… the Dark Lord is what you have said he is. Watching him, last night… it is clear that he is unhinged and enjoys inflicting pain. As a result of that revelation, I find that I am unable to support him any longer."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "I am sure that you know it isn't as easy as just saying that you don't want to serve him anymore." She looked at the Dark Mark, still fresh and angry, branded in her forearm. She then looked to his, mirroring hers perfectly.

"Yes. Due to that unfortunate fact, I have decided that I wish to be forced to serve him for as short a period of time as possible. I wish to join the resistance in an effort to kill him, as you rightly assumed was necessary," he responded, lowly.

Hermione smiled, exhaling. "I am very relieved to hear you say that," she said, quietly.

"I am not sure if I feel any relief, more trepidation. I am sure you are aware that what he did to those muggles last night will look like child's play to what he would do to us if we were caught."

She nodded, solemnly. "I am well aware."

"I also feel as if I will have an extra responsibility within the ranks. What happened last night… you struggled. You almost lost your bearing when Antonin finished the boy, and the amount of anger you expressed to Bellatrix, it worries me."

Hermione looked down, feeling tears fighting to form. "I… I didn't imagine he could do it so calmly like that. And then… with Bellatrix, I just couldn't take it anymore. It all built up, and I was so angry that it was…"

He held up a hand. "I understand. She has baited you since the moment you met her and combined with everything you witnessed last night, you snapped. Snapping is _not_ acceptable though. I suspect you will have to do things you aren't proud of, just like I will, but you need to fight not to take joy from it. If you learn to enjoy it, you risk losing yourself to the darkness."

She nodded, "Yes, I'll try not to…"

"You will do better than try. You _will not_ lose yourself like that again. Am I understood, Hera?" His voice was strong and authoritative. For once, she found herself bowing her head and acknowledging his power in this situation. He was _right_.

"Yes, sir," she said, quietly.

He nodded, standing. "I understand you might be hesitant to share your… zealousness… with the Order. I will not tell them of the slip. In the future, look to me if you are struggling. I will help if I can. Now, I must be going. Adeline has set up a meeting for me with your leader. I was told I will have my questions and concerns answered. We will talk soon?"

Hermione nodded, standing as well. She walked Abraxas to the door and opened it wide for him. "Thank you, Abraxas… for everything you are willing to do for us and for me."

"You're welcome." He was about to turn around and walk away when Hermione reached out reflexively, hugging him tightly. He didn't respond for a moment before delicately raising his arms and hugging her back. How many people would have been able to watch what she did last night and not demonize her? Even attempt to _understand_ her?

Hermione let go after a moment and stepped back, blushing. "I… I am sure I will hear from you soon."

Abraxas nodded, and she watched him as he walked out of her warded area. She was almost sad to see him go.

* * *

Hermione shied away from her adult friends for a while after the night of initiation. The Order had been informed of the bare minimum of details, glossing over how harshly she had punished Bellatrix. Dumbledore seemed to know more had happened, but he did not question her.

Abraxas had become a stringent supporter of her since learning that she was a "seer". Considering any information from the Death Eater camp could be explained as having coming from Hera, only Roland, Adeline, and Dumbledore knew that Abraxas had turned spy. Abraxas had made a point of standing at Hera's side at all subsequent Death Eater meetings.

It wasn't a sought after position, it seemed, to be at her side. Bellatrix had not challenged her since. Hermione could still tell that she was angry and wanted revenge, but it was counterbalanced by her urge not to find herself on the wrong end of Hera's wand again. Cygnus had taken up a position at his daughter's shoulder, assuming the same protective position that Abraxas offered Hera. Rodolphus had initially tried to act like everything was normal, but he was noticeably skittish. Hermione was sure he half expected her to curse him at any second. The thought hurt.

Antonin had barely said two words to her in the past month. Given, he wasn't speaking much to anyone. He seemed to have retreated into himself a bit more. His father, unfortunately, did not. Vaughn, Cygnus, and Niall had taken to muggle baiting in their spare time. Hermione had been spared seeing any of it, but the three men eagerly talked about their conquests. Unfortunately, their zeal to hurt non-magicals seemed to be spreading. The murder of Eliyona's killer and his mother had ceased to be a topic of important conversation.

The only person even somewhat normal with her (despite Abraxas's new normal being welcomed) was Roderick. He had seemed to become even more interested in her since she tortured Bellatrix. He didn't seem turned on by it necessarily, but he definitely had upped his efforts to win her over.

Despite Abraxas being at her side during meetings, Roderick would speak flirtatiously with her, ignoring the older man's glare. When they met up for their dates, he was becoming bolder, occasionally trying to grab her hand or drape an arm over her shoulders. She tried to discourage him whenever possible, but she was thinking that the last three months would be unbearable compared to the first three.

Her feelings were not helped by the impending arrival of Lucius. The Malfoy heir was coming home on the 23rd for a clandestine meeting with herself and Dumbledore to check his shields. If he was deemed adequate, Hermione would start to lay out the facts for him. She planned to start small and give him a break when it was needed, saving whatever information that was left for March.

She had already promised herself that she would refuse to accept his proposal without him knowing her _real_ name. Hermione Granger. That was the name she wanted him to whisper in her ear as they bound themselves to each other for the rest of their lives, not the name she had assumed out of necessity.

After their meeting, she would return with him to Russia. She would only stay for a little over a week, greatly occupying herself while he worked during the day and touring the country with him at night and on the weekends.

She was greatly pleased to not be forced to attend the Malfoy Ball that Christmas. Its guest list was turning decidedly darker, and she did not feel like wearing her mask at the moment. She had already informed the Dark Lord of her plans, and he had accepted them readily enough. Abraxas mentioned a deep-seated desire to cancel the whole thing, but she knew that he wouldn't because of how it would look.

School was speeding by without much worry on her part. Her lesson plans from the previous year were in use again, and her students were enthusiastically participating.

Sirius and Regulus seemed to have a tentative relationship within the school without Bellatrix in attendance. They seemed almost as happy as Hermione was that the new Lady Lestrange had no reason to grace the halls of Hogwarts. This Christmas, they had both decided to stay at the school, a fact which thrilled Sirius.

James and the other Marauders were going to be going home for the holidays, but Sirius was staying in hopes to build his relationship with his brother. Severus was also staying, being warned by his mother than his father was angry and still struggling to find another job.

And so it was the 23rd of December, and Hermione was waiting at the edge of Hogsmeade, eager for Lucius to arrive by portkey. Dumbledore was already waiting for them in the mostly quiet castle, and they planned to stay the night in her guest quarters before taking the portkey back to Russia in the morning. She tapped her foot impatiently, looking in either direction. She wasn't sure exactly where he would land.

A strange popping sound met her ears, and she turned in direction to see Lucius standing next to an oak tree. Immediately, she ran the twenty feet or so to him and jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist. She kissed him enthusiastically for a moment before pulling back and looking at him.

He grinned, and she ran her hands over his chest and arms. "I think you are getting sexier and sexier every time I see you," she whispered, feeling his taut muscles beneath her roaming fingers.

He smirked, leaning in to kiss her again. "Well, I can't have you choosing that bastard Nott because you think he is sexier. I had to step up my game."

Hermione rolled her eyes, taking his hand. "Come on, Dumbledore is expecting us."

They rushed across the grounds, both anxious to get the meeting over with. Hermione had already discussed with Lucius what she wanted. Dumbledore would check Lucius's mental fortifications, and if they were found to be strong enough they would both inform him that Dumbledore was the head of the resistance. Then, Hermione would take him back to her quarters to tell him that she was actually a spy. She would also tell him that the Order knew her to be a seer, so they relied on her information. If that went well and he didn't seem too overwhelmed, she would tell him the full truth. She was time traveler, not a seer. She was tempted to hold off on telling him anymore, but she had lied to him for long enough. She wasn't sure how he would handle it if it went too much longer.

They went up the rotating staircase, and Hermione knocked on the headmaster's door before going in. Albus was seated at his desk, smiling at them. "Hera, Mr. Malfoy. It is good to see you again. Hera tells me that she wishes to share some privileged information with you?"

Lucius nodded, calmly. She was quite sure that he had already gathered that the headmaster would be part of the resistance. Of course, she would have been more surprised if he _hadn't_ been involved.

"Very well, Lucius. Please take a seat. I am afraid that in order to test your shields, I will have to go in as if I am very eager to get the information. It will most likely hurt. Do you understand why?"

Lucius nodded again, looking slightly nervous at the thought. "Yes, headmaster. I believe I am prepared."

Albus smiled. "Wonderful. Hera, would you mind pouring us a few cups of tea?"

Hera nodded, walking to the small table to the side of the room that always had the necessities. "Two sugars and a touch of cream, Lucius?"

When Lucius turned his head toward Hera to respond, Albus struck. "Legilimens!" he said, quickly.

Lucius's face screwed up in pain as his head jerked back to the headmaster. The two men stared at each other for several tense minutes, as Hermione watched. Lucius was gripping the arms of the chair so tightly that his knuckles were white.

Eventually, the headmaster pulled back, eyes twinkling. "Mr. Malfoy, I apologize for my roughness, but I thought it would be best to attempt to catch you unawares."

Lucius's nose twitched in annoyance, just as his father's did. "Yes," he said, snappishly. Dumbledore only smiled a bit more.

"The verdict, headmaster?" Hermione asked, nervously.

Albus nodded to her. "Lucius seems to have picked up his mother's natural talent in this area. His shields are better than yours, I believe, if truly pressed."

He looked at Lucius, then. "You could also look into learning Legilimency, Mr. Malfoy. I think you could have talent there as well, and it can be a useful tool."

Lucius nodded, smiling at Hera. "Finally! No more secrets," he said, exhaling slowly.

Albus smiled at Hera, "Perhaps that tea would still be helpful, Hera?"

Hermione smiled in return. "Headmaster, I think Lucius is already aware of what your part is in this. He will only need confirmation. Then, I would prefer to go ahead and explain the rest in private. I am sure he will likely be in touch with you."

Lucius looked to Albus and raised an eyebrow.

The headmaster smiled, "Very well. Mr. Malfoy, I am the head of the resistance against Lord Voldemort."

Hermione hissed lightly, fighting the urge to rub at her arm, and Albus looked at her apologetically before continuing. "I have gathered a rather powerful group of people willing to fight against him. If you are willing to join, you would be most welcome to do so. Unfortunately, the secrets as to its membership and other things will have to be temporarily kept from you, until you are willing to make an oath to protect us and our secrets. Hera, as the one bringing you in, is the one other order member you are allowed to know of at this time, but she is free to share information regarding her position and other things she deems necessary under a vow."

Lucius nodded. "I understand, headmaster. Thank you for the information. I am sure I will contact you upon returning from Russia, if not before."

Albus smiled. "Wonderful… With that being said, you can go speak privately. I do encourage you to have temperance, though, Mr. Malfoy. Hera is very valuable, and all that she has done as been for the betterment of society as a whole and several people in particular. Try to understand and not act rashly."

Lucius looked slightly confused at that but nodded, standing from his seat. "Thank you for your time and efforts, headmaster," he said politely, taking Hermione's hand once more. Hermione waved at Albus as he pulled her from the office.

* * *

Upon arriving in her small quarters, she showed Lucius to the couch while she poured them each a brandy. Handing it to him, she sat hers down on the small coffee table. "I have ran over how to tell you what I need to several times, and I have decided that there is no _good_ way. So, I am going to tell you in steps. There is a lot that I have been keeping from you out of necessity. If I feel like you are becoming overwhelmed, I will request we wait a few days so you can process it before I add more."

Lucius nodded, looking curious as he reached out to grab her hand. "Go ahead," he encouraged.

Hermione smiled. "Before we begin, there is one vow I need you to make about the revelation of a single order member. This person you can trust to answer any additional questions you have as well as help explain the story. I already received permission to tell you," she said.

Lucius nodded again and held out his wand. "I, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, will not give out the identity of Order Members without express permission of its leadership." The gold sparks formed, and Hermione smiled and took a deep breath.

"I am sure you are under the assumption that the headmaster approached me about joining the resistance. I am afraid you would be incorrect about that. I am the actual founding member of the resistance, having brought the subject up to the headmaster years before he would have thought it up himself."

Lucius looked surprised by that, his pale eyes wide as he stared at her. She smiled, taking his hand once more.

"I'm sure you are wondering how I knew that the Dark Lord would be such a threat, even before Dumbledore. In truth, I know that he would be a threat and that his rise to power would cause destruction because I have already seen it happen. Hundreds will die if he is left unchecked. He will brutally fight and kill, ordering those that fight for him to do the same. Hogwarts thirty years from now will see a first year class that absolutely dwarfs what we have now due to the sheer amount of death."

Lucius looked startled at that, and his skin had paled. "What… what do you mean that you have _Seen_ it happen?"

Hermione smiled. This was something she had counted on and hoped for. As outlandish as the idea of a Seer was, a time traveler was even more so.

"The resistance all knows me to be a Seer. I am sorry to keep information like this from you, but surely you must understand the danger someone who knows the future would be in if the Dark Lord found out? The entirety of the order is under an unbreakable vow not to give out that information."

"I… and because you knew what Lord Voldemort would do…"

Hermione winced but ignored the pain. "Because I knew the damage he would cause, I reached out to the headmaster to form the resistance before it would have been otherwise. The things I know are things that will happen without intervention. What I know is not inevitable. The resistance would have been formed later, when the Dark Lord was tired of hiding."

"The headmaster has been working with me since I arrived at Hogwarts to help prevent casualties. It is the reason that we had the dueling competition, and it is the reason I am the dueling instructor. We are hoping that, if prepared, more people will be willing to fight, or at least have a hope of defending themselves."

Hermione stopped, looking at her lover. Lucius looked completely floored by the information.

"A seer…"

Hermione sidestepped for the moment. "That first Christmas Ball, when I met the Dark Lord, I had a severely adverse reaction. I ran from the ballroom into the family living room, and your mother found me throwing up there. I decided that she deserved to know and that she could greatly help, so I had her arrange a meeting for us with Dumbledore. I told her I was a Seer there, and she wished to join the resistance I was forming."

"My… my mother?"

Hermione squeezed his hand, "Yes. The things I know are often centered on specific people. There are people that I have absolutely no knowledge about, which is sometimes a hindrance. I did, however, know exactly what your family was in for if I did nothing. It is one of the reasons I was sponsored by your family to begin with."

"What did you know about us?" Lucius said, blinking far more often than was usual.

"Nothing much about yours parents… I knew Abraxas was going to join the Dark Lord. He would then lead you to do the same. You would marry Narcissa and have a son who would be forced to join them as well. The Dark Lord would punish you horrifically for displeasing him. On his orders, you would torture, murder… perhaps rape, though that is just a suspicion. You would eventually come to greatly regret joining and the position your family had been put in, but it wouldn't stop you from eventually being sent to Azkaban. You would die there, hated by society, with the only person to really care about you being your son. The man I saw… I don't think I could have loved him."

Lucius looked a bit green at that. "But… but that won't happen now?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. Not unless you let it. I don't know what _will_ happen to you, but you have already diverged from the path I saw for you."

He pulled her to him, hugging her tightly. "Thank you, love… thank you."

Hermione hugged him back. "I love you, Lucius… there's more…"

He pulled away, surprised. "More?! Just how many secrets do you have?"

She looked down, knowing this next part would be harder on him. "As you noticed, the Dark Lord has taken an interest in me. That night that I got drunk and you left? A few days after Eliyona's funeral? He approached me at St. Mungo's. He told me he saw great potential in me and wished for me to join him. He also made it somewhat clear that refusing would not be taken well. I would have died."

Lucius stood up. His skin had taken on a sickly hue. "You didn't! Hera! Tell me you didn't!"

Hermione sighed, "I had to. I… I am a spy for the resistance."

The anger came quickly. "So you think that it is okay to put yourself in my place?! Do the horrible things he would have had me do?! What have you done for him already, Hera?!"

Hermione looked at her lap, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "I had no choice," she said, quietly.

He stomped over to her and grabbed her arms, pulling her to stand in front of him. "Of course you had a choice! You could have run! I would have helped you! What… what does he do to you?!"

"I… he hasn't done anything to me yet. He knows I have a… difference of opinion as to torture. It is only expected of me to discipline anyone who questions the position he has given me. I haven't had to kill anyone. I think he takes joy from knowing that he is responsible for corrupting me, getting me to see his side of things."

That was true. She and Abraxas were almost certain that the only reason the Dark Lord tolerated her lack of eagerness was because he liked "mentoring" her into being more like him. Sadly, she thought he might be making headway with that mission. She was sure Bellatrix would agree.

"Who else?! Who has joined him? My father?!"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. Though I don't think his heart is in it. And… Antonin. Rodolphus. Roderick. Bellatrix. A good majority of the Slytherins that graduated with us."

Lucius paced. "He'll come for me next, then…"

Hermione shook her head. "No… I made him promise to leave you be unless you approached him. I told him you were mine, and he agreed to it. He won't touch you as long as I am alive."

"As long as you are alive?! And what else does he expect of you? I bet you are fucking him… oh, wait, that must be why Nott wants you. If you are good enough for the damned Dark Lord you are good enough for him. And what? Will you fuck him to maintain your cover!? WOULD YOU?!" The last was screamed into her face, and she lurched back, unused to hearing such aggression from him and ashamed of what he was accusing her of. Did he really think that of her?

"I… I… I've been with no one except you. The Dark Lord doesn't want me like that. And Roderick, he's being gentlemanly…"

"GENTELMANLY! If he is willingingly serving Lord Voldmort, he's a bloody psychopath!" Hermione was so upset she barely took note of the burning in her forearm at hearing the Dark Lord's name.

"He just wants to make his position better with the Dark Lord! I don't think he actually wants me, and he is well aware of the fact that I plan to dismiss him at the earliest opportunity! Lucius, I just want you! Support me in this!"

Lucius kicked the coffee table over violently and walked toward the portrait. When he spoke, it was quiet and serious. "I don't want to be involved with someone who has such little value for their own life… for the life we could build together. Perhaps if Roderick is so _gentlemanly_ , you should accept his proposal! Stay here for Christmas."

He then opened the portrait door and stepped out, slamming it shut in his wake.

Hermione fell to her knees in tears.

* * *

Author's Note: 23 wonderfully kind reviews! Each one of them made my day(s), and I was happy to hear from a lot of new readers! Please keep them coming. As to this chapter, I am sure that people are possibly upset. Sorry. On the other hand- not sorry. I have the added advantage of knowing what is coming. On that note, with Chapter Ten you can look forward to Hermione's altered Christmas plans as well as some quality time with Roderick and Lord Voldemort. Yay! (I'm already wincing at the reviews I am expecting to get for this.)


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: JK Rowling created and profits from Harry Potter. I do not._

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Ten**

Christmas vacation, of course, turned out to be the complete opposite of what she had imagined. Hermione had thought she would be reading for pleasure and exploring the city of Krasnodar and spending romantic evenings and weekend days with Lucius. She had imagined a refuge from her responsibilities to Voldemort and the Order.

Well, she had gotten half, she supposed.

After Lucius had left her, she had went home quickly. He wasn't there. She had waited up for him all night, hoping that he would come back for her in the morning when the portkey left. When he had not shown up by eleven, she knew that he had left without her an hour prior. In her desperation not to lose him, she wrote several owls over the next few days, but they were never answered.

As more time passed, his parting words set in more. Finally, she had to acknowledge the truth. Lucius had broken up with her.

On the 29th, Adeline and Abraxas tried to come over, but she didn't answer them. Perhaps Lucius ending things was for the best. Maybe he would stay in Russia and not get involved. At the very least, she knew he would not seek out Voldemort to spy on him. The truth was that things were _over,_ and in the long run, _it was better that way._

On the second day of 1974, Hermione was still horribly drunk. She had not left her home for any reason other than to buy more alcohol from the shop in town and a small amount of groceries. She was to return back for her first classes at Hogwarts again the next day and her last season of work at the hospital would begin the following Monday.

Considering everyone thought she had been in Russia, with the exception of Lucius's parents, she had also gotten out of having to fulfill her obligations to spend time with Roderick. Unfortunately, that was to end.

She looked at the clock on the mantle from her position on the couch and groaned. She had to meet Roderick at the Leaky Cauldron for drinks in half an hour. On the bright side, at least she could keep drinking there. She pulled herself to her feet and into the kitchen, throwing open the cabinet that contained her dwindling bottles of booze and phials of sobering draughts.

Pulling one of the phials out, she fully intended to throw it back after pulling out the cork, but the smell caught her nose. "Damnit!" she said, throwing it against the wall. The smell of sulfer permeated the room, stating that she had certainly not imagined that the cure had not been stoppered properly. That was what she got for brewing while drunk.

She was going to have to play it straight. Yes, that was the right thing to do.

She resolved to start practicing right away. Walking, slightly awkwardly, up the stairs, she quickly made her way to her bedroom where she changed clothes. She ran a brush through her hair and pinned half of it back with a barrette and quickly brushed her teeth. Then, she walked down the stairs and toward the floo. "Leaky Cauldron!" she said, stepping into the green flames.

She stumbled out, giggling as she barely caught herself on a passing busboy. "Sorry bout that!" she said, waving to him as she looked around the room.

She saw Roderick already sitting at a table. He smiled when he saw her and walked across the room toward her. "Happy New Year!" he said, bowing slightly to her.

She remembered that she was supposed to be acting sober and nodded. "Yes, thanks. You, too," she responded, looping her arm through his so he could lead her to the table.

Once seated, he caught the attention of Tom. Tom walked over quickly and smiled. "Miss Elias and Mr. Nott! What can I get for the two of you?"

Hermione smiled at Tom, a bit too widely. "A pint and a shot of whiskey, Tom! Actually, make that 4 shots of whiskey to share. We are celebrating the New Year!"

Roderick raised an eyebrow but nodded. "An extra pint of whatever it is she likes for me."

"So, how was Russia?" Roderick asked, politely, once Tom had walked away.

Hermione forced a smile to her lips, unable to tell how utterly fake it looked. "Beautiful. Cold, but beautiful."

Their drinks returned and Roderick lifted his beer. "To a productive and pleasurable New Year! Cheers!"

Hermione clinked her glass to his and put it to her mouth, drinking deeply. She didn't particularly notice that she drank half the glass immediately, but Roderick did.

"Did you miss me while you were away?" he asked, smiling at her in that charming way of his.

He looked so roguish and sexy in this light. How was it he was single? Oh, right, he was pursuing her and not anyone else. She watched as he pushed a hand through his thick reddish hair. She finally noticed his amused, if somewhat confused, stare.

"Huh?" she asked, blinking rapidly. "I didn't hear you," she said, giggling a bit.

It was nice to be out. Her home felt completely empty knowing that it wasn't likely to have Lucius in it anytime soon. Spending time with Roderick, away from there, was a good thing.

"I asked if you missed me while you were in Russia," he repeated.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I was pretty busy thinking about Lucius. I hope his Christmas sucked as much as mine!" The last was said angrily, and she reached out and threw back a shot.

Roderick looked a bit startled at that but took one of his own shots and drank it quickly.

"Had a fight?" he asked, trying to hide the hope in his voice.

Hermione giggled again. "Your pers... persister…" she paused for a moment, trying to remember the word she was looking for. "The way you keep trying is both cute and annoying." She put one of her elbows on the table and propped her chin on her hand.

"You are drunk," Roderick said, stating what was very obvious.

Hermione tried to contain it but couldn't. She giggled again, reminding herself of Lavender Brown. "Oops! You found me out!"

Roderick just looked at her stupidly. "So, you and Lucius got into a fight."

She snorted, "It was kinda one sided but sure, Rick. We got into a fight."

Roderick's lips quirked. "Rick?"

She shrugged. "I already use 'Rod' and 'Roddy' for Rodolphus. I could use it for you, but then I would have to call him 'Dolphus' and that sounds too much like 'dufus'. Actually, I think I'll call you Ricky. Yes, Ricky. It has just a little bit of… something, doesn't it, Ricky?" She cocked her head to the side, and his smile widened.

"You can call me whatever you want to," he responded. "So… are you and Lucius…"

"Kaput? Seems that way. Told me that I might as well just not go to Russia and just accept your proposal. Sound like a break up to you?" she said, tossing back the other shot and then chugging the rest of her beer.

Roderick looked between the bar and Hermione, as if he was contemplating whether to get her another drink. He finally caught Tom's eye and mouthed "coffee" to him. Hermione caught the action.

"Coffee, huh? Cutting me off already?" She reached across the table and took his other shot, raising it to him mockingly before drinking it, too.

"He broke up with you?" Roderick said, obviously surprised that Lucius would do such a thing. "Why?!"

Hermione sighed, knowing she couldn't give away the reason why. "I don't want to talk about that."

Roderick nodded, letting that go. "So, does this mean…."

She snorted, rolling her eyes. "Ricky, don't be pushy. It makes you less attractive."

He raised his eyebrows, looking pleased. "You think I am attractive?"

She rolled her eyes again, "I think we both know the answer to that. Do not fish for compliments. Of course you are attractive, but that doesn't mean I want to marry you."

Roderick nodded. "I love spending time with you, but… perhaps you should go home?"

Hermione glared, "Because I had a few drinks?"

He shook his head and reached out, taking her hand. "No. I just want what you say to me to be because you want to say it, not because your inhibitions are lowered. I don't want you to think I have taken advantage of you or something like that. I want to win you over, and I think it is best if I try to do that when you are sober."

Hermione sighed. "So you'd send me back to my empty house to continue being drunk?"

He shrugged. "I'll escort you there if you like and see that you get in bed. While you can do what you like, you should probably stop drinking. Tomorrow is a teaching day, isn't it?"

"You'd see that I got in bed?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes at her that time. "Yes. As in climbed into your own bed alone and went to sleep. Can we go?"

He pulled out several galleons and dropped them on the table.

Hermione shrugged and stood. "You can't come to my house. I have specific wards so only select people can approach. You aren't one of them."

Roderick looked at her in confusion and frowned. "Do you think I am a danger to you?"

She shook her head, unwilling to admit that when she had made the list of the few people that could not gain access to her home even if invited that she had definitely thought he might possibly harm her. Considering she did not currently want to see him shocked unconscious and lying in the Malfoy dungeons, she didn't want him to attempt it.

"No, I don't. I am quite confident I could take you. There are only a few people that _can_ come to my house, and I have been closer with them for a lot longer."

Roderick nodded, thoughtfully. "Okay. Can you get home okay or should I pay for you to get a room here?"

She shook her head, "I'll be fine. I think I'll apparate home, though; it is easier on the stomach."

Roderick stood from the table and helped her up, looping an arm around her waist as they left the Leaky Cauldron and headed for an apparition point. Standing next to the small alcove a few moments later, Roderick looked at her.

"Well, thanks for meeting me regardless of… well, I doubt you really wanted to be here tonight," he said, quietly.

Hermione nodded. "It was surprisingly good seeing you. I'm sorry I'm… yeah, I need some time." She swayed lightly, and ran a hand through her hair.

Roderick smiled down at her much smaller form. "I understand. But, uhm… well, I want you to know that even if things didn't work out with Lucius like you planned… I'm still here. I want to be here, you know, with you."

Hermione smiled at him. "Thanks… Ricky." She started to turn toward the designated point when she felt his hand grab hers. She turned and looked up at him again.

"I do want to kiss you, if that is okay," he murmured.

Hermione felt her eyes widen as she blurted out, "oh."

Roderick looked down at the hand she hadn't yet pulled away from his and thought over the very distinct _lack_ of rebuff. Smiling, he leaned down and slid his other hand to her jaw, cupping it. Then, he gently pressed his lips to hers.

* * *

Hermione lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. One hand absently moved to her mouth, brushing against her lips as she thought over the end of her most recent encounter with her only remaining suitor.

Roderick Nott had kissed her.

The shock of what happened had caused her to stop drinking, at least. She could feel the buzz of alcohol wearing off as her room slowly brightened with the rising sun.

She sat up in bed, wincing as the movement caused her head to ache. Standing up and making the bed she had not really slept in, she thought again over what had happened.

 _Roderick's lips had pressed gently against hers, and she had initially stiffened at the contact. After a moment of hesitation, she raised her free hand up to his shoulder, intending to push him away._

 _He, however, had taken the movement to mean something entirely different. She heard a slight sound of pleasure as he smiled against her lips. His hands came to her waist, pulling her closer to him. Feeling his chest come into contact with hers is what started it._

 _Without even thinking, she found herself kissing back. Her hand slid from his shoulder into the hair at the base of his neck._

 _He squeezed her waist a bit as he pulled back, smiling happily at her in a way she didn't see often. Lucius smiled and grinned with her to be sure, but there was always some sort of strange amusement behind it. Lucius was constantly_ thinking _about what was amusing him. His eyes would sparkle intelligently, and she could almost feel him thinking about what witticism he could return._

 _Roderick, his smile was absolutely stunning. The skin next to his eyes crinkled slightly with sheer joy, and he seemed to experience the moment as it passed, living it to its fullest. She knew she was like Lucius. She didn't sit back and just_ live _like that. When was the last time she had just been… happy? Perhaps 4_ _th_ _year at Hogwarts? Or maybe even earlier than that…_

 _Roderick continued to smile as his hands left her waist. Noticing her expression, which she was sure was quite strange, he cocked his head slightly to the side, still smiling._

 _That sealed it. Hermione put her hands on his broad chest and pressed her lips eagerly to his. He let out a slightly startled noise before quickly pulling her into him and enthusiastically returning their kiss. While the first had been sweet and chaste, this one was not._

 _Hermione let out a moan as he lightly backed her up against the brick wall. Her mind rushed through faces in her head. Only a few were particularly noteworthy. Victor Krum had been too aggressive. She had felt like he was trying to eat her almost. Ron Weasley has been a bit too wet and was a bit too much of a tongue enthusiast. Kingsley Shacklebolt had been a bit like kissing a brother. Just… nothing._

 _Lucius could certainly kiss. He set her on fire with them sometimes. They were always pushing for dominance, challenging each other with their minds, bodies, and souls._

 _Roderick was unlike any of these. He definitely knew how to kiss her, but it was so different from Lucius. He was definitely in a dominant position, but she was sure that if she wanted to take control, he would gladly hand it over. It wasn't a challenge, it was just a very, very good snog. It was_ simple _._

 _And then, it was over. He pulled back from her lips and stepped back, still smiling at her._

 _She started to take a step toward him, but he raised a hand. "I am… Don't get me wrong. I am ecstatic about this, but I don't want this right now. On some level, alcohol is causing this, and I don't want you to blame me for it later."_

 _Reality started to settle in, even though a part of her wanted to just forget about everything and enjoy a bit of simplicity. Still, she knew that it wouldn't be simple when the sun came up._

" _You should go home. Get some rest. Tomorrow, I will owl you and set up a proper date with you. And if you like, while on that date and sober, you will kiss me again and I will_ not _stop you. I just hope that in the morning you don't back off of this. Obviously, there is potential for us… please don't deny that."_

 _She said nothing but nodded, sure she was blushing._

" _Go on home, then. Don't splinch yourself."_

And so here she was. Alone in her house after her first romantic encounter with Roderick Nott. Confliction summed up her feelings quite easily.

First, she was guilty. Lucius has broken up with her less than two weeks before, and she was making out with his rival? She had told him that Roderick wouldn't be a threat, and she had been snogging him last night. _He_ had stopped it. What would she have done if she hadn't? Would she have woken up to Roderick Nott in bed with her?

Second, she was angry. She was incredibly angry at Lucius after all of this time. Had she only kissed Roderick and advanced things because of that? She knew she shouldn't be angry at Lucius. He hadn't taken the news of her spying well. She hadn't thought he would just throw her away like that, though. She had thought he would give her a chance to explain herself at least.

Third, she was contemplative. And that was because of the kiss itself. She had thought it would be impossible to feel those butterflies of the same intensity that she did with Lucius. While it was still a very different kiss, she would be stupid to deny that there was a connection.

And that was a problem. There _was_ a connection. She was pretty sure she liked Roderick, and she knew that chemistry was not an issue. So… what to do about it?

Accepting a relationship with him felt like it would certainly be closing the door on a relationship with Lucius. While she knew she didn't love Roderick, she knew she _did_ love Lucius. Still, the promise she had made to the old Lucius was fulfilled. She didn't see him joining Voldemort. She didn't see him becoming that cold murderer he would have become without her. He was technically in the clear.

Perhaps Roderick was another person she could save. Lucius had not mentioned him as being one of the potentials, but he hadn't gone into great detail about the other Death Eaters. He had been consumed with thoughts of himself. Maybe if she could convince Roderick to see the light, he would be saved as well.

After all, her point in coming here had been to save lives, not make a good life for herself. If she rejected Roderick, it was possible she was dooming him to a life of sin and servitude.

And even if he was doomed to become a true Death Eater, no matter what she did… wouldn't it open up an opportunity to gather more information? Roderick and even his father might be willing to share information the Dark Lord gave them, too. Information that could end this whole war before it got a chance to start.

But did it truly come down to potentially making herself happy versus saving people? It was possible, she supposed. And, if making herself happy included being with Lucius… it was possible that ship had already sailed. Lucius had broken up with her.

A relationship with Roderick, she knew, would be easier for her at the moment. While trying to turn his heart against Voldemort, she could imagine what she would get with him. He really could be a sweet and thoughtful man. He could be happy and carefree in a way that felt a bit impossible to Hermione, and that was attractive all on its own. She had made a habit of surrounding herself with people that were carrying a lot of baggage or were just as challenge-oriented and intellectual as herself.

With Roderick, maybe she could learn to possess a bit of simplicity. Sure, he still was ambitious and cunning. He wasn't dumb, but he was _simple_. He was blacks and whites while she and Lucius lived on a palette where the two had been swirled together with a toothpick. Few blacks and whites while greys of various shades consumed.

She walked downstairs, intending to scramble a few eggs before heading out to buy a hangover relief. She was taken by surprise to see a Roderick's owl sitting patiently on her open window sill. Upon seeing her, the owl flew over and suck its leg out.

She smiled as she saw the hangover remedy, and sniffed it quickly before drinking it in one swallow. Then, she read the short letter attached.

 _Hera,_

 _Thank you for meeting me last night. I am sorry I had to cut our time together short, but I do hope to see you again as soon as you have time. Saturday night at seven? I could pick you up at Hogwarts, and we could explore Hogsmeade together. I never actually had a date there with anyone, so it would be nice to do that with you._

 _Sincerely, Ricky_

 _P.S. Please stop overanalyzing. Not everything has to be thought about for hours in reflection. Let's meet and let things happen as they will, with less liquor._

She smiled lightly, chuckling to see that he had initially started to write "Roderick" before crossing it out and replacing it with her new nickname for him.

Should she accept the date? Her mind started to go over everything again before she looked at the postscript and caught herself smiling. Yes, yes she should.

* * *

 _Dear Lucius,_

 _I won't be bothering you anymore. Your silence has spoken volumes on how you feel, and I understand. Truly, I do._

 _I know you probably aren't even reading this, but I feel it necessary to say just a few more things._

 _Please finish your apprenticeship. You have so much to offer the world. For my part, I will do my best to make sure that no one tries to keep you away from what you_ want _to do. Stay in Russia and when you finish there, I urge you to look into jobs that would keep you away from the stresses of life in Britain._

 _Please do not allow our relationship falling apart to have an effect on your relationship with your parents. They, like I, want only the best for you and everyone else._

 _I hope you understand why I couldn't tell you sooner, and I also hope you can make peace with the decisions I have made eventually. I am sorry things won't work out between us, but I do hope you know that my thoughts will always be of you. I will continue to love you, even if we can't be together. I will hope that this decision turns out to be the best for everyone_

 _I'm proud of the man you have become._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Hera_

Hermione tied her letter to her owl's leg and looked at it in the eye. "Aramis, please take this to Lucius. You don't need to wait for a reply. Just come on home, and I promise I won't force any long journeys on you anytime soon."

Her owl flew out the window, and Hermione watched it go until it disappeared into the darkening sky.

She reflected on how her afternoon had been. She had finally allowed Adeline to come over, and she had even managed to keep herself from falling apart again as she told her what had happened. Adeline had been upset, and Hermione had sat there watching the woman she had expected to be her mother-in-law cry.

Hermione had comforted her in a clinical, no-nonsense way. "He is safer without having the Dark Lord so close." "Perhaps he will stay away all together now." "Now I can focus on what I need to be doing rather than what I want." "This is good."

The words sounded false to her own ears, even as she tried to convince herself to the small truths within them. Getting involved with Lucius was, perhaps, something she shouldn't have allowed. Perhaps if she had demanded friendship only, despite her feelings, she would be further along in her task. It was foolish of her to focus on her own personal happiness and future when the major point was to insure that other people _had_ a future. She was been selfish.

Adeline had not taken the news of her consenting to date Roderick well. Shortly after hearing it, she had left, saying she would speak to Dumbledore on her behalf. But not before informing her that she would allow Roland Shacklebolt to be the major middleman and to encourage them to perhaps bring Edgar Bones in. It would look strange, after all, for Adeline to be continuing a close relationship with Hermione after she and Lucius had broken up.

After she left, Hermione was partially relieved to receive a short owl from Abraxas.

 _I understand. I will still be at your side._

It hadn't even been signed, but she had known it was from him all the same. His writing was similar to Lucius's, if slightly more tilted and cramped.

At least she could rely on him to hold her together: the only"friend" that was also a disloyal Death Eater, and the only Malfoy she could count on having a relationship with in the future.

* * *

On Saturday night, she was startled from getting dressed for her date with Roderick by a burning on her arm. She sighed. At least, with Roderick, she wouldn't have to make an excuse. He would know it was imperative to go to the Dark Lord's side rather than meet her and understand if she was late.

She had walked quickly from Hogwarts, brushing her arm casually as she walked past Dumbledore as he went into the Great Hall. He nodded in understanding.

Once she got off of Hogwarts grounds, she apparated to the Dark Lord, seeing him seated on his sofa in the study. Bowing quickly, she spoke. "My lord?"

Voldemort nodded. "Just another moment, Hera," he said, smiling charmingly.

A moment later, another crack sounded and Roderick was there, walking to stand at her side. He also bowed and greeted the Dark Lord before looking at her and smiling lightly.

"I guess I won't have to apologize for running late," he said, teasingly.

Hermione watched as the Dark Lord's eyebrow rose in amusement. "So, it is true, then? You have ended things with Mister Malfoy?"

Hermione nodded her head, fighting hard to contain her thoughts on the subject. "Yes, my Lord."

Roderick looked as if he was trying not to be happy about hearing it said out loud, but he was only half successful.

"Why?" the Dark Lord asked.

If he had been anyone else, she might have told him to mind his own business. Unfortunately, that didn't seem like a good decision.

"He believed that I was forming an attachment to Roderick and told me to choose. When I told him that I could not do that until the required six months had passed, he told me that I had obviously already made a choice and left." The lie was plausible, at least, and Hermione knew that Adeline would make sure Lucius knew that _that_ was the cause of the breakup.

"Abraxas told me earlier today. He believes his son has made quite a mistake."

"Don't we all? I won't look a gift horse in the mouth though," Roderick said, smiling at her.

"Abraxas is a smart man. It is sad that his son seems to be so… brash. I wonder if this has changed your mind on if Lucius can be recruited, though?"

Hermione looked at the Dark Lord seriously. "It has not. At this point, I wonder if his temperamental attitude would actually be a detriment to you. I also do not wish to work with him anytime soon. Do you intend to break your word?"

The Dark Lord frowned and was silent before tutting softly. "I am a man of my word, Miss Elias, and I would ask that you not question that. I do trust that if you change your mind you will let me know?"

"Of course, my Lord," she said, lightly.

"As it stands, you are fortunate to have had two intelligent, powerful, pureblood suitors. Mr. Nott is also a friend to this cause and arguably a better match for you. You have my blessing."

Roderick seemed to be struggling not to beam at the Dark Lord, a notion which seemed completely ridiculous in Hermione's head. Did anyone other than Bellatrix actually _grin_ at the man?

"I appreciate your approval, my Lord, but do not wish to get yours or Roderick's hopes up yet. I have not decided if I am going to pursue the relationship after the six months is up. I might decide not to date for a while after this is over."

Roderick looked at her in surprise, frowning lightly. She raised an eyebrow at him, and the Dark Lord chuckled.

"I assume from Mr. Nott's greeting that the two of you had plans for the evening?"

They both nodded together, and Voldemort smiled before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pouch. He tossed it to Roderick, and Hermione could hear the sound of wizarding currency jingling inside. "Your evening together is on me. Enjoy yourselves."

* * *

Roderick looked across the table at his date and forced a smile. "I think you enjoyed yourself more when you were drunk," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

Hermione raised an eyebrow and was quiet for several tense moments before responding. "I am giving this a real shot, Roderick."

"Ricky," he said, quietly. He glanced at her beseechingly, and she tried to hold back her surprise. She had thought he would hate the nickname and had intended to let it go. She was sure he would find it juvenile. Roderick certainly sounded more powerful.

Her expression must have encouraged him to speak.

"I've always been Nott or Roderick. I might not be particularly… playful, but it is nice to have someone act relaxed with me. Also, I like the idea of being someone special to you, and a nickname signifies that. I," he hesitated, seemingly unsure if he should continue.

Finally, he steeled himself and finished. "Even when I didn't respect you or want a relationship with you, I could acknowledge that the way you looked at your friends… the way you looked at Lucius… no one has ever looked at me like that before. Maybe my mother did, but she was gone too soon for me to remember it. My 'friends' are mostly acquaintances and allies. Honestly, before you started, it was like that with most everyone else, too. Sure, Lucius and Antonin have always been close, but outside of them there weren't any _real_ friendships. I've seen you and various members of your group in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade just for fun. I'm… jealous. I want friendships like that. Not ones that are predicated on the political or financial or social benefits of it. So, Ricky… from you."

Hermione looked at him, feeling a wave of sympathy for the man sitting across her. If this was how he would feel in 30 years, she couldn't be surprised that he was a Death Eater. To not feel like you had friends or anyone who valued you as an individual? How many other Slytherins felt like that?

"Ricky…" she said, softly, nodding at him.

He smiled, trying to fight off a blush.

"So, before I interrupted you…"

Hermione took a deep breath and huffed it out. "I am not over Lucius, not even close. I want that to be perfectly clear. I don't know when I will be, and I am not going to lie and pretend that I am. However, I am not going to outright reject you just because this caused issues for me. If Lucius can't… if he can't deal with the situations I am in by my side, perhaps it isn't meant to be."

Roderick nodded, encouraging her to continue. "Don't expect me to accept a proposal from you in two months. It won't happen. I'm not saying it can't in the future. You seem like a good guy, and if there hadn't been a Lucius, maybe I would feel differently. As it stands, you are just going to have to be patient. When the two months is up, if all is going well, I will continue to tentatively pursue a relationship with you… on my terms."

Roderick smiled and reached his hand out to lay it on the small table between them, looking at her hopefully. She took a deep breath before putting her hand on top of his. Dear Merlin, she hoped she wasn't getting in too deep…

* * *

Author's note: Today has been a frustrating week with sick kids and a painful rewrite that effected several future chapters due to a dumb mistake. It is all taken care of now, but I did not get around to much new material this week. Anyway, thank you all for reading and for your awesome reviews! I hope you are still enjoying the story and see it as being worth the time to write a review. I promise the thirty seconds max that it takes to write a nice review is way less than I spend writing this behemoth. I'm thinking that there will be a "Part 3", though it is a ways off from what I am writing now. Probably at least another 10-15 chapters here at least.

Next up: A Daily Prophet article and a little bit of time with Narcissa.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I think that even if I asked very nicely, JK Rowling would refuse to give me the rights to Harry Potter. So, I shall continue to do this for fun and feedback.

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Eleven**

It was early February, and Hermione sat on her usual side of the headmaster's desk, accompanied by Roland Shacklebolt and Edgar Bones. Edgar had been brought in as Adeline's replacement in handling Hermione. He seemed pleased with the job, if shocked to hear just how deep Hermione was in. Albus sat in front of them, waiting for their report.

Hermione went first. "Outside of various instances of muggle baiting, all is pretty quiet. The Dark Lord is still holding me at a bit of a distance. He says he want to wait until I finish up my training at St. Mungo's before he starts… teaching me. I think he might be looking for proof that I am invested and not going to use the knowledge he gives me against him."

Albus frowned, "Can you think of a way to get him to trust you more?"

Hermione shrugged. "I spoke to Abraxas about it. Short of provoking someone into challenging me and… disciplining them, we can think of nothing. It is just a waiting game. I think he is trying to see if I will break when he does or orders things I disagree with. We are at a bit of a standstill because none of his orders right now are particularly daunting compared to what he knows I know has already happened. Muggle baiting, but nothing in front of me."

Roland sighed, "While I don't look forward to things escalating, I almost wish they would so that we wouldn't be just sitting here. I feel like we should be pushing his buttons. The sooner he shows himself to the public, the sooner we can publicly fight back."

Edgar cleared his throat. "That might actually not be an issue for much longer," he said, slowly.

The other three looked at him, waiting for more.

"Anna is about to be published for the first time. She was very excited and came home to show me an advanced copy of the article. It releases in the morning. There is no talking her out of it." Edgar had proposed to Anna on New Year's Day, and the two were sharing an apartment off of Diagon Alley until they could get married In July.

"Well?" Roland asked, impatiently.

"She has been looking into the disappearances. I might be a bit responsible for that as I had mentioned how many there had been to her. It apparently made her curious. Her father has been approached by the Death Eaters to join. Nathaniel has expressed his desire to stay neutral, and it has seemingly been accepted. Regardless, Anna connected the dots. Her article doesn't give out any names, to prevent libel suits, but it is pointed. Something along the lines of…"

* * *

 _A Dark Uprising_

 _It is no secret that something strange is happening in our society. Aside from the assassination of Jarvin Jenkins by wizards unknown, several disappearances have happened within our small magical society. Juliette Henners, Baldric Gaines, Marvin Hopkirk, Eustacia Alleria, and Reginald Demont are the five most notable of 27 disappearances that have happened in the past 3 years. In our small community, this trend is staggering._

 _Mr. Hopkirk's widow, along with the widower of Mrs. Henners, insist that foul play was involved and said to this reporter that the ministry isn't doing much about it._

 _Lord Orion Black, a respect Wizengamot member refused to comment other than to state that "the Wizengamot cannot waste its valuable time attempting to investing crimes that may or may not have happened" and referred me to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement._

 _There, Lord Sterling Parkinson, the Junior Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement said that "no suspicious activity has been found strong enough to warrant further investigation" into this startling number of disappearances. He also voiced his opinion that "the idea that these unfortunate disappearances are linked is ridiculous conjecture."_

 _Considering our government is not interested in investigating these matters further, this reporter felt it necessary to research. Sadly, a link between 13 of the missing persons has been uncovered quite easily. Marvin Hopkirk intended to introduce legislation that would insist upon equal hiring opportunities to muggleborn citizens. When he disappeared, Mr. Demont intended to continue Mr. Hopkirk's work before disappearing himself. Mr. Gaines was a renowned barrister hired to help draft the same piece of legislation. Juliette Henners was a muggleborn set to testify that hiring standards were unfair to give credence to the need for such laws to be passed._

 _Eustacia Allen was responsible for leading a small group of muggleborn witches in shopkeep jobs to perform a walk out from their positions in protest once the legislation did not pass._

 _Another eight connected (whose names can be found on page 16) were all known to be either muggleborns, married to muggleborns, or otherwise vocal in their beliefs of blood equality._

 _Unfortunately, such a connection leads us back to the assassination of Jarvin Jenkins. After being mutilated, he was hung with a sign around his neck proclaiming him to be a "blood traitor". His wife, Minister of Magic Eugenia Jenkins, was planning to publicly support pro-muggleborn legislation the day after he was found. She has since rescinded her efforts._

 _If blood supremacists were guilty of the murder of Mr. Jenkins, is it implausible to consider that the same people might be responsible for the disappearances or possible murders of the other members of our community that have disappeared? This reporter thinks it probable._

 _Most startling, and not yet reported on, is the uprising of a group of people within our society made up of very powerful and high ranking purebloods. This group has been pushing legislation that would slowly turn our society back toward its more traditional roots. They are lawyers. They are businessmen. They are members of our Wizengamot. They hold positions in our ministry, even the Department of Magical Law Enforcement itself, possibly._

 _It can be debated if their goals, presumably to restore traditionalism to Magical Britain, are good. However, if this powerful group is responsible for the disappearances or even murders of our citizens for their cause, they need to be ousted. Violence should never be the way to achieve our desires. I implore you to rise up and tell these people that_ we've had enough.

 _Anna Greengrass, Journalist_

Hermione put the paper down on her table before laying her forehead on top of it. Anna was in trouble. She knew it was only a matter of time before Voldemort called them in and arranged for her death.

She had not spent a lot of time with Anna. While Anna had been her only female dormmate at Hogwarts, the two still never quite hit it off. Anna had already made friends with girls in other houses by the time Hera had arrived on the scene, and Hermione had quickly become close friends with Lucius, Antonin, and Kingsley.

Still, they did consider each other to be friends, and she had been asked by Anna to be a bridesmaid in her wedding to Edgar. It was her first time in this timeline that she felt imminent fear for a friend's life, and it caused bad memories to surface.

Of course, upon hearing that the article had come out, Dumbledore had mobilized Order members to watch over Anna. Roland had even petitioned with the DMLE to put a protective unit on her and ward her home. Unsurprisingly, considering that a Death Eater was the second in command there, the request had been turned down.

Herimone was just finishing a cup of coffee when she felt the mark on her arm burn.

She picked her wand off of the table and walked into the large bit of floorspace in her kitchen, preparing to apparate to the Dark Lord. It was funny to her how many times she had thought that "it" was finally beginning. The war, the destruction… little steps had taken place that had brought her to this point in time, and so many had seemed significant. She had to acknowledge, though, that the steps for it to happen had taken place long before she got here.

She also found herself to be growing a bit spiteful to the elder Lucius Malfoy. He had been so concerned about _his_ personal salvation that he had wanted her to come back to this specific point in time. If he had been willing to send her further back, trusting that he wouldn't be corrupted by some other dark figure, she could have went back to Voldemort's time at Hogwarts and killed him before he even had the chance to make any horcruxes. She would have taken the risk of going back that much farther.

Unfortunately, the Lucius Malfoy she had known in the past/future was a very self-absorbed man, and she was sure that he could have generally cares less who died outside of his personal friends and family.

 _Her_ Lucius was nothing like that.

She shook off the thought. Lucius wasn't hers anymore, and she was Roderick Nott's if anything. Their relationship had slowly progressed throughout the past month. She hadn't initiated anything since her drunken night, but she accepted his hand when he reached for hers. She allowed him to kiss her goodnight, and she even found herself enjoying it a bit. Maybe, with time, she could find a modicum of happiness with him. For now, she relied on the fact that the relationship could wield a wealth of information.

Antonin and Rodolphus did not seem very supportive, Antonin in particular, but she didn't have to worry about that too much. They were still avoiding her for the most part. Apparently, watching her happily torture a schoolmate had been a bit much for them. She thought it was a bit hypocritical of Antonin, who had personally tortured and slit a man's throat the very same night. A simple killing curse would have done the job much quicker if he truly felt it necessary to kill him. He had taken joy from his efforts that night, too.

She apparated to the Dark Lord's townhouse, looking around the foyer before walking into the dining room. She nodded at the people there, noting that the Dark Lord hadn't made an appearance yet.

Her thoughts regarding hurting people were changing a bit, and the fact scared her. During Harry's War (as she had come to call it in her mind), she had not taken any joy from hurting people. It had been necessary and justified.

Now, it still was _justified,_ she thought, and perhaps even necessary considering the Dark Lord's orders. She had to admit that hurting Bellatrix had seemed like vindication. Having the dark witch succumb to _her_ had been immensely gratifying. Was it wrong to feel that way? She couldn't be sure.

She certainly wasn't going to tell Dumbledore of her less than negative feelings about what she'd done. No, those feelings were known by Abraxas alone, and she was quite sure he might be the only person that could truly understand what she was feeling to any large degree. Speaking of Abraxas, she nodded at him as he took a seat a little more down the table on the opposite side.

Within the Death Eater ranks, Abraxas had spouted how his son was idiotic to break things off with Hera as an excuse to maintain a somewhat personal relationship with her. He was visibly miffed by Roderick, though.

Ricky slid into the seat on her right hand side, putting an arm possessively over the back of her chair. She saw Rodolphus sneer at him, but Roderick seemed to pay no mind.

Hermione then caught Bellatrix looking at her with the same expression she'd had on her face the past few times she had seen her. Rage and fear seemed to be in constant flux, as well as a slight look of begrudging respect that looked particularly strange on her. She would usually glance away when Hermione looked back at her, but this time she did not.

Hermione smirked, inclining her head mockingly at the witch. The rage returned, and Bellatrix looked away. Hermione's smirk turned into a smile before turning into a frown. Should she enjoy this? Was she being corrupted or had this been within her all along?

Vaughn Dolohov cleared his throat, and everyone looked toward the entrance of the room to see Voldemort walk in. Heads inclined respectfully, various people speaking greetings to their "Lord".

Voldemort took his seat and glanced around the table.

"I am sure many of you have seen this morning's Daily Prophet. Is there anyone here unaware of why you were called here?"

No one spoke up, and Voldemort nodded before speaking again. "Several months ago, a few of our more senior Death Eaters approached Nathaniel Greengrass with an offer to join our cause. He expressed his desire to stay neutral for the moment, and we were accepting of that for the time being. Unfortunately, his eldest child, Anna, has published a most displeasing article that speaks out against us as a group. While no names were mentioned, several were inferred."

Sterling Parkinson inclined his head, as did Cygnus.

"My brother, while not officially one of us, is most displeased by this article as well, my Lord," Cygnus said from his seat across from Roderick.

Voldemort looked at him. "I did not require your input Cygnus."

Cygnus cleared his throat and looked down, "My apologies, my Lord."

The Dark Lord continued. "This article might not be taken seriously by everyone, but many will take notice and seek to disband us. We have lost the anonymity of our group, if not the anonymity of most of its members. I had hoped to get much more done before we were forced to take more drastic measures, but that choice has been taken from me."

"How may we serve you, my Lord?" Niall Nott said, quietly.

"Do not respond to the article. If asked about any of us, give no comment. We will hold on to what anonymity we have, as it would not do well to see any of you in Azkaban. And, we are going to be doing a lot more things that can have us sent there. From now on, we do not need to worry about disappearing our victims. Let them be known for having defied us! And the first shall be Anna Greengrass along with her family."

Victor Crabbe spoke up from the end of the table, "The entire family? Nathaniel Nott is well respected amongst the community. It would…"

The look on Voldemort's face silenced Crabbe, "Forgive my insolence, my Lord."

Voldemort looked at Hermione and raised an eyebrow. Forcing herself calm, she leaned forward, aiming her wand at Crabbe. She sent a quick curse, watching as a long gash slashed vertically underneath Crabbe's right eye, four inches or so in length. It would have to heal with time, and Hermione knew it would leave a deep scar there. Still, much better than torturing the guy, even if she knew that it hurt like crazy, having the feel of having salt water poured on it for hours after application.

Crabbe cried out, taking the arm of his robe and pressing it against the wound to staunch the blood flow.

Voldemort nodded. "You are being let off easy as you are a member of this body. Further questioning of my orders will not find your treatment to be so lenient. Go."

Crabbe pushed back his chair and stood, bowing lowly before rushing from the room even as he whimpered in pain.

"The Greengrass family is a noble, pureblood family. We will not kill them all. I believe they have a son at Hogwarts, do they not?"

Hermione nodded her head, seeing a few of the other members her age doing the same. "Very well. He shall live to carry on the family name, and his neutrality shall protect him if he retains it. The rest of the immediate family is to be disposed of. We will send a message that speaking out against us will be met with lethal force not only to those who directly defy us but also to those who harbor them. Nathaniel has raised his daughter to speak out against a group that wants the best for pureblood society, and it cannot be excused."

"Who would you like to carry out this task, my Lord?" Parkinson asked, somewhat eagerly.

Voldemort inclined his head in approval. "While I appreciate your eagerness to take care of the woman that has tried to sully your family name, it is best to do this where you will not be questioned for being a part of it. I think a few of our younger members… Mr. Nott and Mr. Lestrange, you do not have jobs that require a set schedule. You will have the honors."

"Might I accompany them, my Lord?" Bellatrix asked, eagerly.

Voldemort raised an eyebrow, "No, Bellatrix. You are obviously eager to serve at my pleasure; I believe your husband and his friend need to prove the same."

Hermione felt Roderick's arm, stiff around her. Rodolphus was looking at the table, trying to contain his emotions. Anna was a friend, of varying degrees, to both. "Yes, my Lord," Roderick finally said, a sentiment which was quickly repeated by Rodolphus.

"Very well. Let me know when it is done. You are all dismissed."

Hermione could tell that Roderick wanted her to hang around, but she was not in the mood. She also needed to be at St. Mungo's very soon. She was finishing her last three weeks before her final testing would take place in early March. She caught Abraxas's eye, and he nodded at her, letting her know that he would make sure the information was relayed to the headmaster.

It was good to have at least one person fully on her side.

* * *

When she arrived at St. Mungo's, she was unsurprised to see a very on-edge Edgar. She walked into the empty staff room he was waiting in and put a hand on his arm.

"As expected?" he asked, nervously.

Hermione nodded, sadly. "Yes. The plans are already in place to protect her though, right?"

Edgar nodded. "I spoke to the Prewett twins personally. They will be with her and have an emergency portkey to get her behind the wards at home if needed. You said that…originally…"

"I can't be sure. I just know the only Greengrass I knew of was her brother, but then I never heard of any deaths in their family."

Edgar nodded again, "Well, the Prewetts will do their best."

Hermione smiled encouragingly. "The order has actually been for her family, sparing her brother. The news is being relayed to Albus. Considering we already have eyes on the Greengrass home and offices, we are about as prepared as we can be. Come on, I'll buy you a horribly bad cafeteria coffee to get your mind off of it."

Edgar straightened up and took a deep breath before walking out of the staff room and toward the cafeteria. Hermione smiled sadly at his back. If he was willing to drink that sludge, he really had to be scared.

* * *

Hermione was seated in her office at Hogwarts when someone knocked on her door. For the past week, every unexpected presence made her tense. She was terrified that someone would be coming to tell her that Anna and/or her family had been killed. "Come in," she called, and breathed a sigh of relief to see Narcissa Black standing there. Narcissa was not a likely candidate of delivering the news she dreaded.

The fifth year girl nodded at her before coming and taking the seat across from her.

"Miss Black, not that you aren't welcome, but what can I do for you, exactly?" Considering Dumbledore taught the fifth years, Hermione had no clue why Narcissa was there to see her.

"It isn't school related," Narcissa said, frowning.

Hermione returned the expression before nodding.

"First, I wanted to ask your opinion on something. My father and Vaughn Dolohov are considering an arrangement to marry me to Antonin. Obviously, the marriage wouldn't happen until after I graduated. I wanted to ask you, though, as a good friend of Antonin and, from what I hear, someone that works closely with him."

Hermione fought back the wince at the idea of any of her students knowing she was a Death Eater, though she knew it was an unavoidable occurrence. "Ask me what, exactly? You seem to like Antonin."

Narcissa nodded. "I do. Much better than I liked Lucius. I think we both would have similar expectations for each other as well. I am more concerned about his work, though. Is he… like my sister? Does he like it like that?"

Hermione looked at her, thinking quickly of what she wanted to say. Antonin was certainly not like Bellatrix, and even the older Antonin she would not have put in that category. He wasn't the sort to play with his food. He was an active, willing participant, though. As to liking it… the image of Antonin slowly dragging the knife across the neck of the man who killed his mother, emotionless save a slight amount of vindication… she just couldn't be sure.

"Antonin is one of my best friends. I do not think he would ever mistreat his wife, though I don't think he is quite ready to settle down."

Narcissa sighed, "Please don't speak around the issue."

Hermione found herself wondering just _how_ smart Narcissa was once again. Did she know that Hermione's heart was not in what she was doing, to say the least? She had considered Narcissa someone that was redeemable since the first time she met her here, if not even before she came to the past.

"Antonin is still deeply scarred by what happened to his mother. While he is, I believe, starting to make peace with it, I cannot speak to his state of mind. I've never considered him a violent person, but he is capable of it. I would not consider him to be like your sister though, no."

Narcissa nodded, "So I shouldn't protest the arrangement."

Hermione shrugged. "That depends. A wife typically is at least somewhat involved with whatever her husband is involved in. That would be the deciding factor for me."

"You don't think I could stay neutral to it all?"

Hermione smiled, consolingly. "I think the fact that you are the sister of a vociferous, eager participant sets you up more than whomever you choose to marry. I thought you had considered leaving the country after graduation."

"I'm not sure. My father is very adamant against my going. Can I ask you a personal question?"

"As long as you don't expect me to necessarily answer it."

Narcissa smirked at the response before posing her question. "Your involvement… is that what caused things to end with Lucius?"

Hermione felt her heart stop for a moment in pain, composing herself before answering. "To an extent, I am sure. There were other factors, too."

Narcissa nodded. "That's a shame. You seemed good for each other. I hope he is able to see the truth soon."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. Narcissa was definitely clever. She watched as the blonde girl stood from her seat and walked to the door. She turned as she opened it. "Do not worry, professor, my thoughts will stay to myself in this case. Also, I want you to know… Bellatrix is still planning something concerning you. She has to be, considering how angry she is. She wants to take your position. My warning from third year remains… watch your back."

Hermione nodded. She didn't really expect different. Bellatrix was not one to let go of grudges, and she was sure that the dark witch wouldn't stop trying to harm her in some way or another (preferably kill, of course) until one of them was dead.

"Thank you, Narcissa."

* * *

Hermione spent most of February continuing her growing tradition of nearly overwhelming stress and fear. She was pleased, though not in front of the Dark Lord, that Anna and her family had taken steps to prepare themselves against attacks. Voldemort was growing _very_ frustrated by the fact that Rodolphus and Roderick had, thus far, been unsuccessful in their efforts to fulfill his orders.

She had continued to see Roderick, as required, and had found that she was starting to truly enjoy his company. He did not discuss his mission with her, apparently knowing she wouldn't like to hear how he was planning to kill her classmate. Although, she kind of needed to know.

She had tried to get information out of him in order to correct any weaknesses in the Greengrass defenses, but she had been unsuccessful.

He had kissed her on Valentine's Day, while they were both completely sober. She also had discovered that, if she tried hard enough, she could almost think that _maybe_ she felt a bit excited and happy when he did it. A few butterflies had been present, and it gave her hope. Perhaps if she did eventually marry Roderick it wouldn't be so bad? She had resigned herself to the fact that it wouldn't be anything like Lucius, but… perhaps she could be somewhat happy. And perhaps she could save him.

"What are the three steps to stabilizing exsanguination via curse?" Edgar quizzed, looking at the answer in his book to make sure she could answer it verbatim.

"Uhm, Tourniqo to isolate the wound..." she looked up from her own book as she answered before an alarm sounded, causing the room to flash with a red light. She and Edgar slammed their books closed and stood, rushing to the door to answer the call. Injured aurors, high priority.

They ran into the trauma bay and skidded to a halt as they watched a number of healers crowded around two beds. Hermione grabbed on to her friend to support him as she was the first to glimpse the twin red hair on each victim's head. Edgar saw it a moment later and stiffened before crying out. "Fabian! Gideon!"

Healer Forsythe turned from his position at Gideon's side to look at them. "Elias, get Bones out of here. Calming potion for him, and then I want you to come back! Quick!"

She pulled Edgar from the room and pushed him into an on-call room. Grabbing a vial of calming draught from the cabinet, she put it to his lips. "Drink!"

He obeyed, coughing as he audibly howled his anger and fear. "You stay here, Eddie! Stay here! I will go help the twins, and I will come to you the moment I can bring news. I swear it! Stay!"

He nodded, numbly, and she walked out of the door, shutting it behind her and warding it to alert her if he tried to leave.

Running quickly back toward the twins, she was not surprised when Forsythe called her to him and immediately began directing her to help with Fabian's wounds.

Both of them were terribly injured, though Gideon took the brunt of it. He had lost all but his thumb and index finger on his left hand, and his head was bleeding profusely.

Eventually, though, both boys were stable. Forsythe tried to usher her out, but she stopped him. "Sir, they are my friends. Just let me wish them well."

Forsythe sighed but nodded. "When the family arrives, you leave. Immediately."

She smiled at him in gratitude before walking to Fabian's bed. He was barely conscious, but she needed him.

She leaned down to his ear. "Anna?"

Fabian choked back a sob before shaking his head, his brown eyes pained. She took a deep breath. "Can I see? Can you let me in?"

He nodded, knowing that she would be getting the information to Edgar and Dumbledore. She wasn't very skilled in legilimency, but she could get in if the person allowed it. Making eye contact, she said the word softly, trying to be gentle.

 _Fabian was at his post just inside the wards of the Greengrass estate when someone apparated to the boundary. He kept his hand on his wand but smiled at the woman. "What can I do for you today, Miss Veneres?"_

 _The woman smiled back, batting her eyelashes at the man. "I think I am expected. I have Miss Greengrass's wedding dress here for an initial fitting." She gestured to the large garment bag hung over her arm._

" _Yes, indeed! Come on in." Fabian raised his wand and moved it several times, allowing the wards to come down for the seamstress. After she came through, he raised them again. Thanks to an anonymous source, some of the warding would prevent the breaking of the wards for someone with bad intentions to come through. "Anna is very excited to see you."_

 _The lady smiled back before walking up the short drive and into the home._

 _Gideon walked to him from the tree line and sighed. "Gods this is boring. Why did we decided to become Aurors again?"_

 _Fabian shrugged. "Fighting the good fight and all that, I believe. I hope Anna can convince Eddie to just leave the country… there is no way she will not be in danger anytime soon. I tried to tell her how nice Bora Bora is, but she didn't seem interested."_

" _Perhaps she can just –" Gideon's response was cut out by a blood curdling scream, and the twins looked at each other before making a mad dash for the house. They were met at the bottom of the steps by Nathaniel Greengrass. He was running with his daughter's naked body, a body whose skin was rapidly turning black and cracking open as blood poured from the fissures._

 _Nathaniel screamed as he ran toward the ward line. "Drop the wards! Her dress! Poison! We have to get her to Mungos!"_

 _Virginia Greengrass was right on his heels, barefoot as she chased after her husband and daughter. Gideon ran to drop the wards, casting as quickly as he could, while Fabian, being in much better state to apparate than the distraught father, took Anna into his arms. He looked in horror at how quickly the blood was soaking his own white shirt._

" _Done!" Gideon yelled, giving them the clear to apparate out._

 _It was at that moment that three figures apparated in, each hooded with a white, skeletal mask covering their faces. One quickly threw up an anti-apparition charm. It wouldn't last long, but long enough to keep them there with no help for five minutes. He then stalked toward an already cowering Nathaniel._

 _Another made quick work of Virginia Greengrass, a killing curse flying effortlessly from his tongue and striking the older woman._

 _The third started a duel with Gideon, and Fabian was shocked to see how well matched it was from the get-go._

 _The first laughed as he aimed his wand at Fabian, and he quickly cast a blood boiling curse that Fabian barely managed to dodge in time. He put Anna on the ground and stood protectively in front of her body, returning fire._

 _Moments later, he was distracted from his duel by the scream of pain from his brother. He glanced to Gideon to see him looking at the remains of his hand. From what Fabian could see, a dark slicing hex had cut off the left side of his hand, fingers all the way to wrist bone. Gideon's pain caused him to easily be hit with a Petrificus Totalus._

 _Fabian roared at the injury and defeat of his brother, taking on both the one who had injured him and the one he had already been fighting in earnest. The last one seemed to be towering over Nathaniel, and Fabian watched as he aimed his wand and cast a Crucio on the man, hearing Nathaniel's screams._

 _The two that Fabian was dueling soon got tired of playing with him, and one yelled to the other. "Get this over with! Kill the girl!"_

 _Thinking first of his mission, Fabian dove in front of the Bombarda, taking the curse that would have finished off Anna if she was still somehow alive. He was blasted into a pillar, and the last thing he saw was the one that had cursed him kicking Gideon repeatedly in the head as the third aimed his wand at Anna._

Hermione pulled out, releasing her tears as she leaned forward, hugging Fabian gently. "I am so sorry…"

Fabian only nodded, his own tears free flowing. "Please… tell Edgar I am sorry. I… I tried."

Hermione nodded, feeling the dread hit her stomach at having to tell Edgar that his soon-to-be bride had just been killed in her wedding dress. "You did your best, Fabian. Rest."

* * *

 _Author's Note: Anonymity gone for the Death Eaters. Thanks for all of your wonderful reviews. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and find it worth your time to respond to as well. FYI, I would respond to more of your reviews but my Internet is down. You should be thrilled I already uploaded this and edited it. ..on my phone. Sorry for any mistakes._

 _Next up is Edgar, a Death Eater meeting, and catching up with a friend._


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Harry Potter. JK Rowling does.

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Twelve**

Hermione walked into the on-call room she had left Edgar in to see him abruptly stand from the bed. "Anna?!" he half-shouted.

The look on her face must have been enough because he stumbled back, landing on the bed once more. Hermione felt tears run down her cheeks as she walked to him and took the seat next to him on the bed.

"What… how did she go?"

Hermione sighed, grabbing one of his hands that were digging into his thighs. "I'm not sure on how fast it was or how long she was in pain. I only saw Fabian's memories, and he was knocked out before I could know she was definitively gone. She was unconscious, I think, for all that he saw her though. The sound of someone screaming was followed quickly by seeing her unconscious, so I don't think she was consciously hurting for long. "

"How?"

Hermione squeezed his hand a bit harder. "Somehow, I think they potioned the inside of her wedding dress. She was due for a fitting today and the seamstress didn't seem to have a clue that it had been messed with. It looked like it burned her skin to the point of it cracking open. When they dropped the wards to bring her here, the death eaters took advantage of it."

"Who did it?"

Hermione sighed. "The two we expected, and I believe Niall Nott as well. I'll get the confirmation shortly, I am sure. I'll piece together who did what as well."

"Her parents?"

"Gone. Her mother was quick and painless. Her father… I'm not sure. He was under the Cruiciatus Curse at the end of what I saw. I think Anna was finished with a killing curse, too, while she was still unconscious."

Edgar looked up at her. "Who did what?"

She shook her head. "I only saw it once, and I wanted to let Fabian rest. They did do their very best, and Fabian took a Bombarda to prevent Anna being hit by it. Gideon has lost half of his left hand and a pretty severe concussion. He wasn't awake yet when I was in there. I can't tell you anything else as Fabian passed out, so I don't know what the aftermath is like."

Edgar's eyes steeled over. "I'll kill them," he said, angrily.

Hermione took his other hand in hers. "Do you want me to floo you to your family's house?"

Edgar shook his head. "No. I am going to stay here for a while to process. I'll go home when I am ready. Do you think Dumbledore knows yet?"

Hermione nodded. "I'm sure. You know that a severe auror injury is reported to the department quickly. I am sure Moody or Shacklebolt will get the information to him. I'll do it myself after shift… unless I have to be elsewhere."

Edgar pulled his hands away and scooted back on the bed. "I tried to… prepare myself. You said you didn't know of an Anna Greengrass in your original, so… maybe it was destined to happen. I have tried to prepare for the possibility, but…"

Hermione nodded, brushing his longish hair off of his forehead. "I don't think you can be prepared for it, Edgar. Even if you know it could happen, it still takes you by surprise. But, Anna was happy with you. She got to experience _being in love_ , something many people don't get the chance to do. Don't allow what has happened to tarnish what you shared, and live your life trying to prevent something like it from happening again."

Edgar wiped his eyes, and Hermione was sure that the calming draught was still largely in effect. He rolled onto his side, facing away from her. "Oh, I will," he said, his voice dangerously low. "Go take care of the twins, Hera. I'll go home when I am ready."

* * *

Hermione was unsurprised when she returned from work that day to see an owl with a special Evening Edition of the Daily Prophet waiting for her. She quickly paid the owl before taking the paper and sitting at the table.

Shacklebolt had come by toward the end of her shift to check on the twins and to tell her that he would be reporting to Dumbledore what he had learned. He had told her to rest up, knowing that she should anticipate a summons from the Dark Lord.

Opening the paper, she took a deep breath as she read the front page headline.

 _ **Anna Greengrass, Daily Prophet Journalist, Murdered**_

 _We here at the Daily Prophet are suffering a personal loss of a great employee and friend today._

 _Anna Greengrass, daughter of Nathaniel and Virginia Greengrass, was murdered along with her parents today. A pureblood family, they were all looking forward to the upcoming marriage of their oldest child to Edgar Bones, heir of House Bones._

 _At this time, details are being kept quiet, and we refuse to speculate on the death of one of our own._

 _We will report the few facts that we have. Anna had recently requested that some personal friends, both aurors, spend some of their off-duty time protecting her home. She believed she might be in danger due to her first published article, a piece in which she reported that a group of fanatical purebloods might be behind the string of disappearances that have been plaguing our society._

 _Anna was killed by a preemptive poisoning of a garment that she was trying for a fitting. In the rush to get her medical care, they were attacked by unknown assailants. The two aurors there to protect Ms. Greengrass were injured and are currently in St. Mungo's. Details on the scene of the crime are scarce at this time._

 _Considering Anna's fear of retribution came to fruition, we have to consider the strong possibility that her article, though with a certain amount of speculation, was true enough to anger people into action._

 _We hope that Magical Law Enforcement will now take very seriously the likelihood that a fanatical group of dangerous dark wizards_ is _amongst us, and we hope that they will face the consequences of their crimes._

 _The deceased leave behind Anna's brother, Thomas, who is currently in his seventh year at Hogwarts. Out of respect for his privacy and his loss, we have not requested an interview with him as of yet._

 _Though Nathaniel and Virginia were not largely known to us, we can testify to the character of Anna. She was a remarkable young woman with a bright future ahead of her with us. She was kind and willing to help wherever it was needed. Despite being ambitious, she worked hard for all of her victories. Above all, she did not shy from reporting something she thought the public should know about, despite knowing it would endanger her life. She had a remarkable amount ofjournalistic integrity and the entirety of the Daily Prophet staff will miss her presence._

Hermione put down the paper, just in time to feel her arm burn. Sighing, she pushed up the sleeve of her robe and looked at the dark mark on her arm. Gods, it was hideous.

Today, she knew, was not a day she wanted to be around Lord Voldemort. She was grieving. But more than that, she was angry. She was going to have to go to a room and spend time with people that she had counted as friends. A few of which had just murdered another of her friends. How was she supposed to look Rodolphus and Ricky in the eye?

She walked upstairs and quickly exchanged her healer robes for the dark ones that were becoming expected when in the company of the Dark Lord. She wondered if the disgusting masks would be expected of all soon. Considering what she had seen in Fabian's memory, she suspected so.

When she arrived in the Dark Lord's study, she looked around before hearing the voices from the dining room. She stood up straight and kept her shoulders back as she confidently strode into the room.

The Dark Lord was seated at the head of the table, the only empty seat being the one that was reserved for her. Numerous bottles of wine were scattered across the table at various stages of fullness. Everyone was talking and joking, and Hermione watched as the Dark Lord watched it all with a satisfied smirk on his face.

Hermione watched as Cygnus, still seated on her other side at the table, saw her before deciding to press the limits. He quickly moved seats, taking up Hera's under the guise of wishing to speak quietly with the Dark lord.

Snarling, Hermione pulled her wand and waved it viciously, banishing the chair out from under him. Cygnus fell to the floor with a startled yelp as Hermione walked around the table, behind the Dark Lord, to her seat. She aimed her wand between Cygnus's eyes then. "Have you asked your daughter what happens to idiots who think they can test my patience with them? Don't push me, Cygnus."

Cygnus pulled his own wand and aimed it back at her. "I don't know who you think you are but—"

Hermione hissed at him before rapidly disarming him and levitating him. She guided his body, protesting, into the hallway before dropping him to the floor again. "My Lord, do you mind if I dismiss Mr. Black for the evening? It has been a long day, and I have no patience for him."

Voldemort smiled at her, approvingly. "In the interest of keeping him from permanent harm, yes. Cygnus, you can return home for the night. I am sure Bellatrix will pass on anything newsworthy."

Cygnus looked at the Dark Lord in shock before standing and walking down the hallway toward the front door. They all heard the door slam.

"He really does not seem to understand that provoking you might be unwise," Voldemort said, smirking.

Hermione nodded before looking at the other occupants in the room. Most were looking at her in shock, though there were exceptions. Bellatrix looked angry, as usual. Abraxas looked as if he approved. Roderick looked as if he wanted to come kiss her… or more.

The Dark Lord stood from his seat. "Come with me for a moment please, Hera?"

Hermione nodded before following him into the study she had arrived in. He gestured to a chair, and she sat once he had.

"I have been quite impressed with you lately. You have shown that you are more than willing to fight when necessary, especially to defend your position. One would almost think you are starting to enjoy being here."

Hermione nodded after a moment. "I do not like people thinking they can take things away from me, particularly when I know I deserve them. Not to mention that if I do not guard my position, someone else might get it, and the knowledge that comes with it."

"Then, why so discontent tonight, Hera?" the Dark Lord asked, raising a singular eyebrow.

Hermione sighed.

"I understand why you ordered her death, and I am not protesting against it. At the same time, I still am mourning a friend that died, even if her own foolish actions caused it. Additionally, her fiancée was my partner, and I had to tell him what happened. And I am magically exhausted from working on the aurors that were with her when it happened."

Voldemort nodded. "I appreciate your loyalty to those you consider friends, but I will not apologize for ordering her death. And for being satisfied that those orders were carried out."

"I wouldn't expect you to. I do not wish for you to believe I am being deceitful though. She was my friend, and I am angry that her death was necessary. I'll get over it with time, I am sure."

Voldemort smiled, "I am glad to hear it. I delayed summoning you because of your work at the hospital today, but I do expect you to stay now. Roderick will be telling us what happened at the Greengrass estate. I believe you will be able to hold your composure while the does that? It would not do to have my second-in-command balk at our actions."

Hermione nodded once in response. "Of course, my Lord."

The Dark Lord nodded before taking her arm and leading her back into the dining room. Hermione almost wished she could kill him right that second, horcruxes be damned. He thought she was _coming around_. As if she could!

After taking her seat back at the table, she poured herself a glass of wine and took a slow sip.

"Mr. Nott, now that everyone of importance is here, can you fill us in on what happened today," Voldemort asked, expectantly.

Roderick cleared his throat and met Hermione's eyes before speaking. "We were successful in carrying out our mission to kill the Greengrass family, save their son at Hogwarts. Their wards had been strengthened recently, and it took a while to figure out a way to get around them. My father stumbled upon the fact that Anna would be having a fitting for her wedding dress. Thanks to a self-made poison I have been working on, I powered the solution with a neutral agent and had Rodolphus sneak into the shop last night to line the inside of the wedding dress. It was already sealed in the bag and ready to be taken. The seamstress was easily allowed entrance, and we waited for the wards to drop before attacking."

"The three of us took a vantage point in a wooded area near their ward line. The poison caused Anna's veins to heat up quickly, and her blood carried it throughout her body. It works very quickly and causes the skin to burn and crack. She was in a large amount of pain that we believe sent her into shock. We think her parents banished the gown off of her and ran to the ward line to escape to St. Mungo's."

"We attacked. My father put up a temporary anti-apparition charm. Rodolphus used the killing curse on Virginia Greengrass to quickly get her out of the way. My father started to torture Nathaniel Greengrass, and I engaged one of the aurors while Rodolphus took the other. Rodolphus took one of their hands almost clean off…"

Hermione felt sick knowing that it had been Rodolphus's handiwork that was leaving Gideon with half of his appendage. She looked toward Roderick to see him staring out of a window while Roderick continued.

"After Rodolphus's fell, we both took on the other. He was a very good duelist, and I am ashamed to say it didn't go as quickly as it should have. I will have to see if Hera is willing to teach me a few things…"

Hermione looked at Roderick passively, making no plans whatsoever to help him learn how to more easily cut down innocents.

"It was fun, though, and we played with him for a bit. Eventually, Rodolphus started getting tired and said we should end it. I cast a blasting curse at Anna, but the auror jumped in the way of it. Knocked him out. After he was out, I started to beat up on the other auror a bit, while my father killed Nathaniel."

"And who cast the final killing curse on Ms. Greengrass?" Voldemort asked, looking very amused.

"Rodolphus," Roderick said, sounding regretful that it hadn't been him.

"Well done, Roderick, Niall, Rodolphus, you are proving yourselves to be most worthy of our cause," Voldemort said, nodding at them in approval with a pleased smirk on his face.

Hermione looked at him, fighting to contain her surprise. Roderick and his father had definitely been the cruel ones, and it made her very eager to speak to Rodolphus. Now was not the time, though. She looked at Rodolphus again, to see that he was picking at his nails at the end of the table. He looked bored, but Hermione could swear he was a bit paler than he should be.

She glanced at Antonin, whose face was as dead as it had been for months now. She didn't even begin to know what to do about him.

And then at Roderick. He was smiling at her, as if expecting her praise. She nodded her approval, as the Dark Lord had done, and his smile widened.

She knew, now, that no matter how much she wanted to like Roderick… there was no way she could have a relationship with him. He seemed to not be bothered in the least by what he had done. While he didn't seem crazy like Bellatrix… she could perfectly understand why Lucius Malfoy of her timeline had not mentioned him as having the potential to be redeemed. Killing was just a job for him, and one he could take pride in.

The last three weeks of their forced "courtship" couldn't pass quickly enough.

* * *

Hermione returned to her office at Hogwarts after Anna's funeral and dropped her head on her desk. Her position was becoming… murky.

A good deal of the Order of the Phoenix had been in attendance to pay their respects, but several Death Eaters had also been there. Of course, Parkinson and the Blacks had stayed away, but Anna's actual killers had been in attendance. Neither had given away her position to the other, but both had had slightly cold and calculated looks on their faces while she conversed with "the enemy".

Edgar had barely kept it together, especially when Roderick had come to stand at Hera's side to personally offer his condolences. Hell, Hermione had barely kept it together.

She had not seen Roderick or Rodolphus since the last meeting, which she had begged a quick escape from two days prior. Her feelings about him had only been lowered when she found out how much they had… disfigured the Greengrass bodies after Fabian had passed out.

Feeling his hand slide around her waist as he looked at Edgar in false sympathy made her want to curse him. She couldn't wait for the next few weeks to end.

She was startled out of her morbid thoughts by the knock on her door. The headmaster entered, still in his own funeral attire. It was strange to see the flamboyant man wearing something so dark.

"Hera, how are you?"

She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, and he nodded, taking a seat across the desk.

"I came to formally offer you the fulltime position of dueling instructor starting in September. I know it has been mentioned between us, but I would not want a misunderstanding to have you accepting a position at the hospital. I assume you are still willing to join us? Double your current salary plus benefits and full quarters here."

"Of course, sir," she responded, dully.

Albus stood. "I know that you are having trouble dealing with being caught between both sides, and I want to apologize for that. Know that while some of us might question you, several trust you implicitly. We know your character, and I think that that is what will save people on both sides of this war."

Hermione nodded, feeling impossibly tired. "Yes, headmaster. Thank you."

Albus smiled gently at her as he opened her office door and left.

* * *

Hermione was seated on her couch, happily studying for her upcoming healing exams. Two days from now, she could test. Then, within the week, she would get her results.

She was strangely confident that she would do well. Despite knowing she was intelligent and had worked hard, exam time was always stressful when she had been a young student. She wasn't sure if it was a sign of maturity or due to the fact that she had more important things to stress about, but it was nice not to worry that she would fail miserably and make a fool of herself to the wizarding community.

She was considering taking a break for a sandwich when she felt her wards tingle. Standing up, she walked to the door to see Rodolphus standing at the end of her driveway, smiling sheepishly.

She dropped the wards and watched as he walked toward her. "Hi, Rodolphus. Is everything okay?"

He shrugged. "I suppose. I was hoping that I could come in and talk to you for a little bit. Sorry to drop in, but I only got up the nerve to do it today."

Hermione smiled at him, then. Rodolphus truly was a lovely man when he opened up, and she loved that he was so unguarded with those he trusted. "Sure. Come in."

He followed her into the house, and she gestured to the kitchen. "Can I get you something to drink? I think I have a few of those Coca Colas that you won't admit you like."

He smirked. "If you have _nothing_ else, I suppose it will have to do." He took a seat on the couch and leaned back, looking at home.

She rolled her eyes but smiled as she walked into the kitchen and opened two bottles. Then, she reached into her cabinet and pulled out a small vial of light grey liquid.

She allowed a few drops to go into Rodolphus's bottle before putting it up and joining him back in the living room. As she offered him the contaminated one, she took a sip of her own.

No, she didn't make a habit of slipping potions into her friends' drinks, but she felt it might be necessary this time.

She had a feeling that Rodolphus had come to talk to her about his recent life as a Death Eater, and she wanted to ensure his words were absolutely true. She had not given him Veritaserum but a weaker version. It was not tasteless or colorless as its stronger counterpart, but the Coca Cola would hide the color and slightly sweet aftertaste. The drinker would only be forced to answer direct questions honestly and the answers were not as forced. Rodolphus would also feel completely present for the conversation.

Rodolphus took a sip and sighed in appreciation before smiling at her.

She looked at her cramped coffee table, looking for an excuse to talk about something unimportant while he drank a few more sips.

"Sorry I don't have cookies or anything else to offer really. I have been holed up studying for my healer exams on Wednesday and haven't done much shopping or cooking."

Rodolphus shrugged, "That's fine. Are you nervous about the exams?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, I think I will do okay. Regardless, it doesn't hugely matter. Even if I failed, I know I can practically do a lot of things I never could. Dumbledore offered me the full-time position last time I was at Hogwarts, so it isn't like I will actually _need_ a healing license anytime soon."

Rodolphus smiled. "That's great. Do you plan to move to Hogwarts full time, then?"

She shrugged. "That just depends on what is going on in my life. I like to be here during the summertime."

Rodolphus raised an eyebrow. "And I suppose there is potential that you will be moving into Nott Manor."

Hermione coughed on her latest sip of coke. Thinking about Roderick since Anna's death had made her feel angry and sick and depressed all at once. It was a foregone conclusion that after March fifteenth, in only 9 days, she would be breaking things off.

Their date a few days before had been awkward at best. Roderick seemed to sense that something was off with her, and she had rebuffed any sort of intimate touches with him. He had not outright questioned her, thankfully, and she was glad to only have two more dates with him before she could officially end things.

"I do not plan to make a move to Nott Manor," she said, plainly, watching as Rodolphus looked surprised and then smiled slightly.

"Well, while I am not disappointed to hear that, it seemed that you and Roderick were getting on quite well," he said, leaving the question in his voice.

"What did you come to talk with me about, Rodolphus?" she responded, changing the subject to the one they needed to talk about before she could tell him why she would never, ever marry Roderick Nott.

"I wanted to speak to you about the Dark Lord and… Anna," he replied. He looked down, and she watched as his face flushed in shame. She hadn't even spoken to him at the funeral, trying her best to stay on the opposite side of the room. He must have easily picked up on her feelings on the subject.

"Go on, then," she said, quietly.

He looked up, and even though she had not asked him a direct question to receive another honest response, he gave one anyway.

"I don't want to be a killer. I don't… I don't like what is happening, and I just want out."

Her eyes widened. "Are you sure that _I_ am the right person to talk to about this, Roddy?"

"I wasn't… until just now. Since the… initiation, you have been different. You were so _angry_ at me about getting those people with Bellatrix. And then… well, Bellatrix's nerve endings are _still_ giving her problems _months_ after you cursed her. I have never seen you so angry… until we… I can understand if you hate me. You never would have killed Anna, and… I did."

Hermione's jaw clenched, "That still doesn't answer how you know I won't take out my anger on you by telling the Dark Lord that you want out. I am sure you can imagine that he doesn't like dissention or people unwilling to follow his orders."

"Judging from the look into your eyes and the fact that you called me Roddy for the first time since I joined just now, I think that it is likely you feel a bit more good will to me now that you know. As to the potential consequences… I have recently been thinking that death might be better than allowing life to make a murderer of me. Bellatrix is… she's horrible, and I can't handle turning into that. I do request that, if your heart _is_ actually into what we are doing, do me the honor as a friend of killing me yourself. I think you would show mercy that the Dark Lord and Bellatrix would not."

Hermione looked at him quietly for a few minutes. She would need to know for sure.

"Do you get joy from killing or hurting people? Regardless of their blood or background?"

Rodolphus looked a bit sick at the thought. "No. Killing Anna's mother was bad enough, but at least it was quick for her. I… I tried to make things as quick as possible with both her and Anna. Niall had Nathaniel, and I… I couldn't do anything to help him."

"What do you think of the Dark Lord?"

"He's obviously insane, isn't he? I mean, he's very powerful and intelligent, but… I don't like him. I think he is dangerous and vile, and I am so angry that you didn't tell us outright to stay the fuck away from him, Hera! He'd be the death of us all if he thought it would help him get what he wants."

Hermione looked down, ashamed. She wished she could have.

After taking a moment to compose herself, she looked up. "What would you be willing to do to stop him?"

Rodolphus looked at her in surprise for a moment. "Anything."

"You would even kill him yourself?"

"Yes, but I hope that that will not be required of me, personally. I don't want to kill anyone. I just want to live in peace, eventually marry someone I love and have a bunch of kids."

Hermione felt tears fall from her eyes as she stood up and walked the few steps to him before practically throwing herself into his arms. Kissing his cheek, she squeezed the surprised man tightly.

"Roddy, you have no idea how happy you have made me!" He seemed to break then, getting the confirmation that he had made a good choice in coming to her and she felt his shoulders shake as he cried against her.

After a few minutes, she pulled back and wiped her face, grinning stupidly as he did the same. "We have a lot to talk about, Roddy. But first, I need to call someone over here."

He looked at her in confusion but nodded, and she smiled as she walked to the fireplace. A moment later, she stuck her head into the green flames. "Eddie! I need you here now. We have a new friend."

After a few minutes, the floo fire lit up and Edgar Bones stepped through. He stopped in shock and anger as he looked at Rodolphus. Rodolphus's reaction was even stronger. He seemed to crumple in on himself, unable to take the weight of looking at the fiancée of the woman he had a part in murdering, a man he had considered a friend for months now.

Edgar looked at Hermione after a moment. "How do you know?"

"I told you that he seemed guilty… and I put the mild serum in his coke. He volunteered a lot more than the bare minimum, though. He's genuine, Eddie."

Rodolphus sniffled once more before looking up. It was so rare to see him upset by anything, and Edgar seemed a little placated by his obvious distress. "I… Edgar, I… I didn't want to do it. She was my friend, and I… I'll never forgive myself, and I don't expect you to."

"How bad was it?" Edgar said, tersely.

Rodolphus shook his head. "I never saw Anna conscious. The poison that Nott used sent her into shock, at least. Her end was not… it wasn't quick, but she was never awake for it, and I cast a strong numbing spell on her as soon as I could. All of the… most of the… the disfiguring was all on the Notts, and she was already… she was dead."

Edgar brushed his own eyes. "Her mother? You killed her, right?"

Rodolphus nodded, the shamed blush taking his face over again. "Yes, but it was quick. A killing curse… I… I can show you the memory if you want… or someone else."

Edgar looked at Hermione. "Still dosed?"

Hermione nodded, and Edgar seemed to release a weight from his shoulders. "I don't know if I can forgive you, but… I believe you. You did a _disgusting_ thing to someone that was your friend, someone I loved… you will have to pay it back."

"How?"

Hermione sat down across from Roderick and took his hands in her own. "You will have to keep working for the Dark Lord… Edgar and I are leaders in the resistance. From now on, you and I will not discuss anything about any of this directly unless I approach you. You will speak with Edgar or someone else to give them any information that might help. Most importantly, if the Dark Lord ever offers you or Bellatrix something to take care of for him, you will tell us immediately."

"But if I stay, I…"

Hermione nodded, squeezing his cold hands. "Yes, you probably will. You'll have to do more bad things to keep a lot of people safe in the long run. I wish I could have told you to stay away, but… I couldn't risk it, Roddy, and I need all of the help I can get. I _need_ you, do you hear me?"

Rodolphus looked at his lap once more. "Antonin?"

Hermione sighed, "If it's not too late."

Rodolphus looked at her sadly before nodding. "If it's not too late…" he echoed.

Finally, resolve flooded his face and he looked between her and Edgar. "Where do I sign up?"

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks for all of the awesome reviews. I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I love hearing your reactions to the characters. It is so cool to hear you are all being manipulated into liking or disliking someone and having it change chapter to chapter. My goodness how so many of you hated Abraxas in part 1! Or mentions that what Voldemort says has, sometimes, made sense. It makes me feel like I am doing a pretty good job at this thing. And several of you mentioned being annoyed by the fact that you kind of liked Roderick. Well, don't you feel foolish now? ;) In all seriousness, though, thanks for the responses.

Internet is back up, finally. On the bright side, I had plenty of time to write since I wasn't distracted by reading or watching Netflix. I have been going through and watching the HP movies, and will be starting Cursed Child tomorrow. Very exciting times! Also, it is my birthday tomorrow. Want to make it happier? Leave a review! Thanks for reading.


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and profits handsomely because of it; I do not._

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

Hermione sat across the table from Roderick the next night as he blathered on about a new exotic plant he had recently received. He was rambling on about how it was related to the aloe plant, but its soothing properties worked much more effectively than its muggle counterpart. If Neville Longbottom had turned Death Eater, would this be what he would be like?

She distracted herself from the tedium by analyzing how his mouth moved around each syllable, hoping that he assumed she was interested in what he was saying.

How had she ever found anything about this man charming? Just a few months prior she had thought that his interest in plants made him more attractive, and for about two months she entertained the idea that maybe, _maybe_ he was salvageable… someone that she could potentially find happiness with if she tried hard enough.

The realization of how foolish she had been was humiliating to say the least. And all the while, she had still not gotten over Lucius.

Abraxas was kind and tried not to bring up his son with her. Rodolphus and her other friends seemed to do the same. Still, it didn't get him off of her mind, and now that she knew that there was no chance she could _ever_ willingly kiss Roderick again, it was as if Lucius was standing right there.

Of course, that wasn't true. She hadn't heard from Lucius in months, and she had absolutely no clue what he was doing. She didn't even know if he still planned to finish his apprenticeship early. Maybe he had moved on? Perhaps he would return to England with a beautiful, blonde girlfriend that would help him create a little Lucius Jr. She would want to kill any witch that dared to touch _her_ Lucius, but… he wasn't hers anymore. She would hold back because he wasn't hers and, well, attacking a woman for being with her ex-lover was not exactly sane. She already wondered if she wasn't creeping toward the deep end, but that would prove it.

"And they have… Hera?" She was pulled from her musings to realize that an angry look had come across her face.

"Do you not like sorbet?" Roderick said, frowning.

She looked at him in confusion for a moment, and he sighed.

"Okay, Hera… I have been trying to just let you work through whatever is going on in your head, but you have been very distant for a while now. What is wrong?"

"Don't worry about it, Roderick. Do they have lemon sorbet?"

He glared, then. "Ricky…"

She frowned but nodded. "Ricky. Do they have lemon?"

She watched as Roderick put his hands on the table between them and sighed, looking very annoyed. "Seriously, Hera. Can we just talk? Is it your exams? No results yet?"

She shook her head. "No, I passed my exams. I accepted a full time position at Hogwarts, though."

He smiled. "That's wonderful, then! The Dark Lord will be thrilled to have someone on the inside so often…"

She glared at him, then. _Fuck the Dark Lord!_ If Nott had been a Legilimens, she was sure he would have heard it.

"If that's not what is bothering you, then… what is?"

She sighed. "Can you pay the bill? I don't really feel like dessert, and we can talk about this more outside."

He pursed his lips but nodded.

Once the bill was paid, they took their usual walk down Diagon Alley. When they neared the apparition point, Hermione spoke. "I am sorry, Roderick, but I don't think this is going to work out between us. It just doesn't feel right, and I think we are too different to enjoy a life together. While I am happy to fight at your side and be… friends, something more is just not going to happen."

His eyes bulged from his head slightly. "But… what? Where is this coming from? Is it because of Anna?! Hera, you know I had to do that! Sure, it sucks that she was your friend, but she was a threat to us and disrespectful to the Dark Lord!"

Hermione bit back the retort that she wanted to yell at him and went with the other half of the truth instead. "It's… it's Lucius. I'm just not over him, and I don't see that happening anytime soon."

He grabbed her hand. "But… it isn't like we have to get married right away! We can wait a while! Don't write me off, Hera! Who out there is as good for you as I am? Are you interested in someone else? Dolohov?"

She sighed. "Antonin is just a friend. Lucius is… I think I would know by now if I could have loved you like I love him. I am not ready to give up on loving someone like that."

Roderick looked to the ground, and she could feel the heat of anger behind his eyes burning into the pavement. "And do you think people are actually lining up for you? Outside of our association, everyone thinks you are intimidating and scary or they don't see you as anything more than a friend. Not to mention that our Lord would want you to be with someone that at least is supportive of the cause!"

He looked up at her, and Hermione could see the hurt as well. "No one else is willing to give you what I am! Do you know what it is like to agree to resign myself to being the less respected one in our relationship? I had accepted the fact that, in the future when we met someone, we would be introduced as 'this is the esteemed Hermione Nott… oh, and her husband, Roderick.' Do you think anyone else is going to do that?!"

Hermione took a step back toward the apparition point. "I'll give you time to think and cool off, Roderick. We can talk later." She didn't wait for a response and merely left him there, flooing to Hogwarts to stay the night.

* * *

Hermione walked toward her office after breakfast with a letter clenched in her hand. Despite her conversation with Roderick the night before, he was still insisting that they have their final date. He wrote that he wanted every possible opportunity to win her over but would accept her decision at the end of the night.

The next day was March fifteenth, so she was still obligated to go. She had hoped he would just cancel the whole thing from his end.

She had originally intended to wait until the last date to tell him, but the words had just kind of spilled out in her frustration. Knowing that she had to continue seeing him when the only think she could see him now as was a hard core Death Eater… knowing that he wanted her to love him and _marry him_ and have _kids_ with him… it had turned her stomach.

Still, it was easier pretending than dealing with his persistence. Since their last date a few days ago, he had been sending flowers and chocolates to her every day. Gifts that she had to accept considering she had done the same from Lucius in the past. It didn't save them from the rubbish, but it prevented her from sending them back to him.

She smiled at Sirius Black as he walked by with Regulus and Severus. He and Severus still didn't interact much, but Sirius had frequently been seen spending time with his Slytherin brother, regardless of any others that might be with him. Generally, when she saw the three of them together, Regulus was speaking with his brother while Severus walked alongside. Occasionally, Rabastan would be there talking to Severus.

James Potter and Sirius were not as close as she had expected them to be, and Peter Pettigrew seemed to be filling his shoes as James's _best_ friend. They did all seem to be friends, though, and Hermione had seen them looking over a copy of _Unlocking the Animal Within_ as they sat waiting for class to start one day.

Hermione had been pleasantly surprised to find out that Narcissa had accepted a position with the French ministry as an interning liaison with the British ministry for the summer. Hermione was happy she would be getting out of the country. For a while, she had been hopeful that an actual relationship with Antonin would happen for the girl, but she had to consider the possibility that that was not a good idea.

Antonin had barely spoken to Hermione since the "first" Death eater meeting. Rodolphus had told her that he had not been speaking to much of anyone other than his father. Rodolphus thought it was a possibility that he was comfortable with what he had done, but Hermione had her doubts.

She still had hope… but it was dwindling. Rodolphus has been unable to stand what he had done, and it had led to him breaking down. Antonin did not look as if he was going to do the same though. She and Rodolphus both though that, if anything, it looked like he wasn't feeling anything at all. That terrified Hermione, as she had seen Antonin Dolohov with nothing but murder in his eyes before. Perhaps, he had broken already.

Once again, she found herself wishing that Lucius were with her. Antonin was his best friend, and he would know how to reach out to him. Unfortunately, if Lucius were here that would mean he was involved. Was Antonin's questionable salvation worth the risk it would cause to the man she loved above anyone else?

* * *

Hermione sighed as she gathered her bag in preparation to meet with Roderick for the last time on personal business. From here on out, he would only be a source of intelligence as she couldn't really imagine having a friendship with someone that willingly followed the Dark Lord without hesitation… someone who murdered her friends…

She looked in the mirror at her outfit. She had tried to go with something almost professional. She wore a black knee length pencil skirt and a red blouse that buttoned all the way up to her throat. An open black robe with red stitching accompanied it, and she wore black heels to finish off the look. She wanted Roderick, in the future, to see her as a coworker… someone he was expected to answer to at all times and not attempt anything more with.

Deciding she was ready, she quickly flooed to The Leaky Cauldron. She had insisted on something less formal than Roderick had grown accustomed to indulging in with her. Glancing around, she quickly spotted him at a booth, two pints of butterbeer in front of him already waiting.

She nodded as she sat down and looked at him. "Good evening, Roderick."

"Hera," he said, frowning lightly.

"I hope things are going well," she said, politely.

His frown grew. "Things would be better if you had responded to more of my letters or acknowledged receiving my gifts."

She raised an eyebrow. "Very well. I received your gifts. I did not see the point in responding to your rather obsessive amount of letters. One a day is more than enough, especially considering the fact that you are well aware that I fully intend to end whatever relationship we have after tonight."

Hurt flashed through his eyes, and he was silent as he stared at her. "I can't talk you into changing your mind, can I?"

She shook her head. "No, Roderick."

"Will I ever be Ricky to you again?" he asked, reaching for his pint of butterbeer.

She sighed. "To be perfectly honest…"

"You've been a bit too honest lately, I think," he added.

She rolled her eyes. "Listen, my position with the Dark Lord is, as you said, something that is likely to alienate me from everyone else. We both know that letting him down is a bigger issue than letting you down. Or even me finding a partner I care deeply for. I do not want my work to be jeopardized by having a friendship with you that would have me treating you any differently than anyone else. From this point on… I think we should be civil… coworkers, I suppose. If you do what you are supposed to, we won't have problems. Anything more than that is going to be a bit of an impossibility, I think. We weren't friends before all of this happened, and I don't think we will end that way… but we can at least work with each other without problems. Can't we?"

Roderick frowned as he raised his glass, "To a… healthy working relationship, then."

She nodded, choosing to accept his words. She didn't see him as not continuing to pursue her, but at the least her obligation to entertain his intentions would end. Perhaps she could implore the Dark Lord into talking to him about moving on. Finding Theodore Nott's mother to conceive that conceited asshole at the right time. Not particularly important, but it seemed as if Theodore would be destined to live after all.

She clinked her glass with his. "And to the Dark Lord," she said, taking a swallow

They put their glasses on the table and looked at each other awkwardly for a moment. "Is it… is it really Lucius, or is it me? Is there something about me that is _so_ bad? We have the same goals, the same standards… I just don't understand. Maybe you just don't find me to be attractive?"

His voice was almost pleading, and she sighed as she looked over his features once more. For the final time in this light? It was… a saddening thought. "No… you are definitely attractive, Roderick," she said, softly. His wavy auburn hair was slightly tousled, and it looked so soft. Certainly, their children would have beautiful curls as well. And his eyes… it was like walking down a peaceful path through a forest. She caught a strange expression in them for a moment but waved it off. It had been gone in an instant.

"What's so horrible about me then? Surely you can tell I would be a good, faithful husband to you? A doting father? Is it because I am not as… well-read as you?"

She tried to think of a diplomatic way to tell him all the things that were wrong with him. She knew there was a plethora of reasons not to be with him. She knew she was here to make sure things were ended. But… why was she ending things exactly?

He was unquestionably handsome, and he found her ambition to be sexy and not something she needed to temper. And he was so… sexy!

"Did you just… did you just not ever feel anything when I kissed you?"

He looked hurt, and she found herself raising a hand to his cheek. A part of her told her to pull her hand back… something was wrong. Again, the feeling passed quickly.

"You are a wonderful kisser," she said, lightly.

He pulled away, sighing as he stood. "Come on, Hera. I'll walk you to the apparition point. You've made it clear that you don't want me anymore."

He stood, throwing a few galleons on the table as he walked out, and she practically stumbled after him out of the pub.

After arriving at the spot that they would separate, he spoke to her again. She watched his mouth move, and thought of how soft his lips were, and how skilled his tongue could press against hers. Unwittingly, she stepped closer to him.

"Goodnight, Hera… I don't suppose I could get a kiss goodbye? One last time?" he asked, imploring her to agree.

Without hesitation, she stepped into his arms and pressed her lips against his. When they touched, it was like an electric spark ran all the way down her spine. She moaned, pressing her chest up against his, and running her hands to rest lowly on his hips.

He responded eagerly, wrapping his arms around her waist as he walked her backward a few steps into the brick wall they had snogged against the first time.

He started to pull back, and she protested angrily, bringing a hand up to his face to direct it back to hers. "Gods, Hera, you are so damned soft," he whispered, pulling back to run a quick series of kisses under and behind her ear, sucking on the lobe softly. "You don't want me?" he asked, even as one of his hands meandered up her body, fiddling with the uppermost buttons of her blouse, along the bottom of her throat.

"I want you," she said, voice pleading as one of her own hands went to his belt buckle, trying to unlatch it.

He pulled her hand off of his belt and looked down at her. "Come home with me, Hera," he whispered. "I'll give you many more reasons why you should marry me. Just one night… give me one night and then it can end if you want it to."

She nodded, quickly, stepping into him once more and lifting a leg to wrap around his waist, rubbing herself intimately against him. "Yes, please," she groaned, pressing her lips back against his.

The crack of side-along apparition ended with an empty alcove.

* * *

Hermione could felt the sunlight against her eyes, a feeling she knew was not something she was usually greeted with at Princeton Place. Personally, she liked to wake up in a darkened room. The place she was currently at was much too well lit, and that thought caused her to open her eyes.

The memories of the night before came back slowly, and she smiled. Roderick. Gods, he had been perfection. She was sure she had never experienced sex quite like that before. She had wanted him so badly, and he had eagerly responded in kind.

She looked to the other side of the bed and frowned to see that it was empty. She sat up, pulling the sheet with her as she did so. "Ricky?" she called, wondering if he was just in the bathroom.

When he didn't answer, she sighed, climbing out of bed. He must have already gone downstairs. She practically skipped in happiness to the bathroom and climbed into the shower.

She leaned against the wall, relaxing as the water hit her back. Had she really thought about ending things with him? She was sure she had been, but she couldn't think of why she would want to do such a stupid thing. It was nonsensical, and she prided herself on being reasonable at all times.

She was just about to start washing her hair when she felt hands slide around her waist. She watched as his fingers interlaced on her stomach and his equally naked body pressed against her back. She smiled, turning her head and pressing her lips to his. A moment later, she turned in his arms, fully intending on taking the advantage of the opportunity of a good shag in the shower.

Her hands started to slide down, but he stilled them with hers, chuckling softly. "I brought you something."

He reached to a small shelf and pulled two champagne glasses of orange liquid, passing one to her. "Mimosa for the lady?"

She took it, raising an eyebrow even as she smiled. "Thanks. It could have waited until we got out though."

He shrugged. "I brought you breakfast in bed, but you were in here. They don't taste good warm, so…"

She nodded, clinking her glass with his as she tilted it back, swallowing every drop.

He smiled as he drained his own glass before taking them both and putting them back on the shelf. "Now, where were we, my love?"

She giggled, stepping closer to him and kissing him.

* * *

After an enjoyable hour in the shower together and several more spent in bed, Hermione found herself sprawled on top of Roderick. One of her hands played with some hair around his ear as she rested her head on his chest.

"What time is it?" she asked, quietly, loathe to interrupt the peace that had come over the room.

His hands tightened around her waist as he responded, waken up from the small nap he had been taking by her voice. A moment later he responded. "Quarter to one… looks like we slept through lunch."

She sighed, rolling off of him with a pout. "I'd better get up," she said, looking at him with a frown.

"Whatever for? I can think of no better way to spend our time than to just be here with you in bed…" he said, running his hand over her side. She shuddered with pleasure.

"I have an appointment with the headmaster at three to finalize my employment contract for next year. Just a formality, but I still have to be there."

She could have sworn she saw his eyes widen in panic for a moment, but before she could question it, it was gone. "Could you reschedule? I had hoped to spend the whole day with you…"

She shook her head. "No, we have had this scheduled for a few weeks now, and he is pretty busy this time of year."

"What time is the meeting?" he asked, anxiously.

"Four. I have to fill out the paperwork for my official healing license and have it sent in today, too, though, so I need to be leaving here pretty soon..." She sat up in bed, swinging her legs off of the edge. She felt his hand slide down her bare back.

"I made dinner reservations for us at 6. Can you be back by then?"

She turned her head, smirking at him. "Wow, you made reservations already? You must have been confident that you could convince me to stay…"

He chuckled, though there was a hint of panic in his voice.

"Listen, I am not expecting you to marry me tomorrow or anything, but I want to have you fully convinced before you go doubting _us_ again. This is good, right?" he asked, sitting himself up and putting a leg on either side of her.

She nodded, smiling at him. Standing up, she winced slightly at the ache between her legs. "Yes, it's wonderful. I'll be back by six, okay? This place better be phenomenal if you are so desperate for me to make it back tonight…" She looked over his body, sitting there at the edge of the bed, wishing she could crawl back on top of him so that he could crawl back into her.

"Trust me, I'll make the evening worth your time…" he replied. He stood up, sighing as his gaze raked over her from head to foot. "You are exquisite…"

She blushed prettily, taking a step back from him. "Stay back! I have to go get ready. Really, I'll be back with you in about five hours. You can wait that long, can't you?"

He sighed, nodding as he advanced and pulled her into his arms. "I'll suffer through it…"

She smiled, giving him a chaste kiss.

"I love you," he whispered, releasing her, gently.

Her smile widened. "Don't press your lucky, Ricky," she teased before winking. As she summoned her clothes and walked to the bathroom to get ready, she mouthed back at him. "I love you, too."

* * *

Author's Note: Next up is the meeting with the headmaster and dinnertime with "Ricky."

Thank you for all of the reviews and the birthday wishes! I am glad you are liking the story and hope you are just as eager to respond to this chapter as I am to hear about it!

And, yes… BAD Roderick! BAD!


	14. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, I do not profit from anything remotely related to it._

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Fourteen** _(this chapter is a bit… intense and gross. Consider yourself warned.)_

Hermione walked into the headmaster's office with a pleased smile on her face. Ricky had asked her no less than five times if there was any way that she could reschedule her meeting. She was pleased he was so eager to spend time with her, and she was quite honestly eager to get back to him.

When he had told her he loved her, she felt her heart burst with happiness. She had been surprised to find that she felt the same. How silly Antonin would find that. "Women have to attach emotions to sex," was one of his more vocal complaints about the fairer sex, and she had practically confirmed it the night before. And this morning. And this afternoon.

She didn't even realize she was humming as she flopped down in the desk across from the headmaster. The headmaster smiled back at her, obviously pleased to see her in such a good mood.

"Miss Elias, while I am pleased to see you in such good spirits, I am stupefied as to the cause. You have been gaining a reputation as a bit of a grouch recently amongst the students," he said, raising a silvery eyebrow in her direction.

She shrugged. "Oh, everything is fine. I'm afraid I can't stay long, though, headmaster. I promised Ricky that I would be back by six, and I want to look my best for our date tonight."

The headmaster looked surprised, and Hermione smiled. She didn't get to see that expression very often from the man, and it was interesting to witness it again.

"I was under the impression that you were ending things with Mr. Nott last night… you have changed your mind?"

She sighed, dreamily. "Yes. I don't know why I was fighting it so hard. We won't be married right away, of course, but I definitely see it happening in the future."

A look of suspicion and a dash of fear flashed through the headmaster's eyes, but Hermione didn't see it.

"Surely you are still concerned about Mr. Nott, though? You said he was an eager follower of the Dark Lord, and that you didn't see him as being redeemable. He is a Death Eater, my dear."

She rolled up her sleeve and pointed to her own disgusting dark mark. "Technically, I am one, too. I am positive I have misjudged him, Headmaster. I can't think of a reason why he would not be able to be an asset to us as well as a wonderful husband and father. Surely you know I would not make a foolhardy decision regarding something so serious. Really, I'll bring him by and show you. He's perfect…"

The headmaster cleared his throat. "I am surprised you are here after such a wondrous realization. Surely Mr. Nott would have rather you spent the day with him?"

She nodded. "Of course! He practically begged me to stay, but I told him that our meeting was necessary and had been arranged weeks ago. I said it was just a formality, and that I wouldn't be here long. So, if you don't mind, could we go ahead and look over the contract together so I can sign? Maybe I can get back to him earlier than he expects and surprise him." The idea of being with him again was making her antsy, and she sat up straight in her chair, looking for a quill on the headmaster's desk.

Albus nodded, summoning the parchment. "I would suggest we put this off, but I think you will be rather… eager to take care of some things…"

For the next few minutes, they looked over the contract together, and Hermione asked a few questions. Finally, she signed the paper at the bottom before standing.

"Perfect! Now, if you will excuse me, I am sure Ricky will be happy to see me."

She walked to the door and went to open it, but found that it would not budge. She turned, looking at the headmaster in confusion. "Headmaster?"

Albus looked at her sadly. "Hera, I'm afraid I need you to stay for a little while longer. You may owl Mr. Nott if you wish to tell him you will be late, but I can't let you go right now."

Hermione felt her hand twitch for her wand. "Headmaster, surely you know that I can get out of here if I truly wish to."

The headmaster nodded, "I do. That is why I must apologize for what I am about to do."

With speed that greatly belied his age, the headmaster disarmed her. While she was still looking at him in shock, she found herself forcibly moved into a chair and bound there.

"Headmaster! What is going on?" she said, angrily.

Albus looked at her sadly. "Hera, child, you are acting very out of character. I believe Mr. Nott might have given you a potion of some kind."

Hermione scoffed, "That's preposterous, headmaster! He would never! He loves me!"

Albus sat back down at his desk. "Be that as it may, I would request the time to merely find out. What time did you see Mr. Nott last night? Did you drink anything with him?"

She nodded, feeling tears come to her eyes. Why was the headmaster so eager to demonize Ricky?! It was infuriating and embarrassing. "Around seven, but he would not give me anything to insure my feelings for him! He doesn't need to do that!"

The headmaster sighed before he levitated a book on the history of wizard and centaur relations into her lap. "Your hands are free enough to read. It will help distract you from the time that passes. I will send a note to Mr. Nott."

Despite her protests, the headmaster stood and wrote a quick missive before handing it off to Fawkes. The phoenix disappeared in a burst of flames, and Albus looked back at her once more. "It's okay. He knows to expect you to be late now. I am sure that, as much as he loves you, he will not be upset with you."

Hermione glared but nodded. The headmaster was correct that Ricky would understand, especially when she told him how the headmaster had forcibly kept her from going anywhere. "Do you wish to talk while we wait? Perhaps I can update you on what is going on with the ministry operatives?"

Hermione glared and pointedly looked down at her book. She certainly did _not_ want to talk to the headmaster at the moment. He was being an arsehole and keeping her from the man she loved for ridiculous reasons.

He nodded at her bowed head. "It is probably for the best. If you become belligerent, I might silence you later. Purely because sometimes we don't need to know what people think of us in the midst of anger…"

She read, occasionally glancing up at the clock. Fortunately, the book was rather interesting. She had not known that Helga Hufflepuff was responsible for helping the centaurs build their hidden colony in the Forbidden Forest. As time passed, growing closer and closer to the time she was supposed to meet Roderick, she found herself growing more angry and indignant. How _dare_ the headmaster judge Ricky!

At a quarter after six, she had had enough. She shoved the book off of her lap and to the floor as she started to yell at the old man. He looked at her calmly.

"It won't be long now, my dear. Everything will be okay, eventually. I promise."

His pacifications did nothing for her, and she shouted obscenities at him. After a moment, he held to his word, silencing her.

After a furious few moments of screaming at the top of her lungs and growing more and more frustrated that no sound would come out, she found herself looking at her wand. It rested on his desk, only a few feet away. If she could wandlessly summon it, she could free herself and curse him.

She would kill him for this! How dare he keep her away from her beloved?! She would murder the old man for this! How she had ever thought she could trust him was beyond her understanding! Perhaps Roderick would want to help her? He deserved the opportunity to get his revenge for Dumbledore's slander! Perhaps Voldemort could even help her… it would certainly solidify hers and Roderick's positions within his ranks. He would not dare question their loyalties if they allowed him the opportunity to kill the bumbling old fool!

Dumbledore's eyes shot to her wand the first time it twitched, and she screamed loudly in frustration as he grabbed it quickly and put it in a desk drawer. He looked at her sadly as she started to thrash in her chair, desperate for release.

A few minutes later, a strange heat came over her. It was as if she had suddenly found herself in a desert with no water. She needed something to drink! Roderick would help her if he were here. He would give her something to drink. He would have helped her! And the headmaster sat there, watching as she visibly panted and sucked on her tongue for whatever moisture it retained.

She started to feel sick, then. What was wrong with her? She needed to get to St. Mungo's and quickly. Unable to hold it back anymore, she started to throw up.

As she heaved, she felt the binds holding her release and fell to the floor on her hands and knees, heaving onto the headmaster's carpet.

The nausea slowly started to abate, and as it did she saw the headmaster vanish the vomit off of the floor. The anger had dissipated along with the churning of her stomach, and she felt a hand run through her hair. "Miss Elias?" the headmaster half whispered.

She looked up, and upon seeing his blue eyes, she felt as if her reason was slowly returning to her. She said nothing as she leaned back to sit on the floor, looking up at him.

"You will be okay, Hera," he said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She felt it then. Anger. Anger stronger than anything she had ever felt before. She could feel her skin growing hot once more, burning her from the inside out. Her nose started to twitch compulsively in the likeness of a snarl, and she could feel her hands start to shake.

"Give me my wand," she hissed, lowly.

"Hera, perhaps we should speak first… before you do something you will regret."

She jerked up from the floor, feeling her hair crackling around her as she walked around his desk. Wandless magic didn't give her an issue as she commanded the drawer her wand was in to open with her hand. She pulled her wand out, staring at the headmaster.

"Excuse me, headmaster. We will speak later. I have some business to deal with."

"Hera! I must insist that you –" he started, but she interrupted him.

"NO! I will deal with this and there _will be no regrets._ Good day!" She brushed past him and out of the office with ease.

She was practically shaking with rage as she passed through Hogwarts' gates. She jabbed her wand into the Dark Mark and felt the pull of apparition. Her wrath would be appreciated by some, at least…

* * *

She felt the slight pause in apparition before she was accepted through, cracking into existence in the Dark Lord's office. Trembling with rage, she caught the eyes of Lord Voldemort. His own eyes widened before a hint of a smile appeared.

"Hera, what can I do for you?"

She could still feel her nose twitching, and her hand was white as it gripped her wand. "My Lord, I have encountered a gross disrespect from one of your followers. They need to be dealt with, and I would ask that you call a full meeting so that everyone can see."

A single eyebrow raised as the smirk blossomed on his face. "Why if I did not know any better, I would say you are looking forward to dealing with whatever problem this is…"

She stepped forward and braced both hands on the ornate wooden desk, staring at him across from it. "My Lord, I will defer to your judgement, but I ask that you let me handle this once you hear what has happened."

He looked pleased as he stood. "If this is to be a full meeting, I think we should meet in the drawing room. It is much larger. Is that acceptable?"

"If you don't might blood on your carpet," she growled.

He smiled pleasantly and walked around the desk, taking her shaking arm in his. "Oh, my dear, for what other purpose would I have elves?"

They walked to the room together, and Hermione immediately held her arm out. The Dark Lord pressed his wand against it, and she felt the familiar burn that signaled a meeting was to occur. The Dark Lord then walked to his favorite chair in the room, an antique Louis XVI draped in gold brocade, before sitting.

She went to stand next to him and slightly behind his chair, putting her hand on the back of it with her Dark Mark plain to see.

Moments later, the Death Eaters started to arrive. When Bellatrix and Rodolphus arrived, they both bowed dramatically before Bellatrix met Hermione's eyes. She looked as if she was struggling not to visibly cower.

Antonin seemed to show the first hint of real emotion he had had in months upon seeing her rage and the Dark Lord's pleasure. A moment of fear passed through his eyes, and she would have thought more on it if she hadn't been so damned angry.

And then, the subject of her malice appeared. Roderick and Niall Nott arrived as one, and she watched as they bowed. Roderick was pale and shaky, and Niall didn't seem to be much better. Roderick didn't meet her eyes as he stepped back to stand between his father and Sterling Parkinson.

Abraxas was one of the last to arrive, and she glanced at him briefly. He looked passive for the most part, but she thought she had seen a glimpse of something approaching nervousness before he looked away from her.

When everyone was assembled, the Dark Lord looked around. "Miss Elias arrived here shortly before you all with a grievance she wishes to take care of regarding one of our fellows. Is there anything anyone here would like to say before she brings the subject to the floor?"

Bellatrix looked at her nervously, but seemed to relax slightly when she saw that Hermione was not looking at her.

Roderick Nott said nothing but got down on his knees and crawled forward slightly. "My Lord, I have disrespected Miss Elias. I am prepared for my punishment and ask for your mercy."

"We shall see, young Nott," Lord Voldemort said in response, glancing at the groveling man in pleasure.

Nial also knelt down. "My son has made a foolish mistake and will take his stripes. I would also plead for mercy upon him. He is the only heir to our house, and it will die out with him if he leaves behind no heir. Our pureblood ideals –"

"-FUCK your pureblood ideals, you bastard," Hermione said, venomously.

Her words drew a gasp from several in the room, and Hermione aimed her wand at Niall, stepping forward.

"My Lord, I wish to tell the room of his son's crimes against me. Then, I will defer to your judgement."

The Dark Lord inclined his head toward her, and she changed the aim of her wand. Sneering at Roderick, she pulled her eyes away to meet the glinting ones of her dark master.

"I informed Mr. Nott when I met him earlier this week that I had no intention of furthering a relationship with him. I do not wish to settle down with someone I am not sure of at this time and doubted a marriage with him would bring me satisfaction. Per the courtship laws and his request, I was still required to meet him for dinner for the last time yesterday evening. Before I could formally end the courtship, Mr. Nott drugged me with a _love potion…"_

The room murmured, and Hermione dragged her molten eyes off of the Dark Lord to see that Abraxas was looked at Roderick in disgust, his wand hand twitching at his side.

"Last night and this morning, against my rational thought, I slept with Mr. Nott. It is my belief he dosed me again using a drink this morning. I was only saved by a meeting I could not reschedule with the headmaster. He noticed that I was out of character and held me there, at the time much against my will, until the potion could wear off."

Lord Voldemort looked at Roderick with disgust. Hermione briefly wondered if the circumstances brought to memory the knowledge of his own mother, conceiving him under the use of a love potion.

"Mr. Nott, do you wish to refute any of Miss Elias's words?" he asked, dangerously.

Roderick did not raise his head as he responded, and his voice shook on every word. "I cannot refute her words, but I can offer my reasoning in hopes of understanding, my Lord."

"This should be interesting," the Dark Lord commented.

Roderick took a rattling breath in before looking up. "I care deeply for Miss Elias. After offering her all I have, more than anyone else would surely be willing to offer, I was very hurt that she rejected me. I felt as if a relationship with me would serve all of us, including you, better than if she had a relationship with someone not committed to our cause. I believed that if she gave me just a small amount of time to show her what a life with me would truly be like that she would agree to marry me. I did not intend to keep her under the influence of the potion for long. My father can attest to that."

Hermione's eyes whipped to Niall's, and she saw the man look at his son in shock and anger. Apparently, he had not counted on being outed.

"Niall?" the Dark Lord asked, voice level.

"My Lord, I knew my son was brewing the potion. He only brewed enough for a week. It would need to be ingested every twelve hours."

Voldemort looked at him seriously. "Twelve hours? Hmm…"

Voldemort smiled, then, and cleared his throat, causing the room to all turn their eyes to him.

"Miss Elias, what punishment do you intend to give Roderick?" he asked.

She glanced at Roderick, trying to contain the fury that was still rocking her body like waves. "Death," she said, voice even. She saw Abraxas shuffle slightly out of the corner of her eye but ignored him.

"Are you sure? Death is quite a serious punishment after all."

Roderick was shaking on the floor at this point, and she was trying her best not to curse him before she was given permission.

"My Lord, you say that my position is worthy of respect within your ranks. Roderick completely disrespected me. He _raped_ me, he _deceived_ me, and he took away my _free will_. What respect could he have possibly been showing for me? Can you possible expect that I could ever hope to work with him amicably? Until he is dead, I will know no peace."

The Dark Lord looked at her silently for a moment before speaking. "Niall Nott is technically still young enough to have another heir if he can find a bride, so his argument to save his son's life is not valid. Niall will find his punishment as well in just a few moments. Until then, Miss Elias, you are free to do with Roderick as you please."

The entire time she had been waiting, the curses she had learned in the various dark texts she had read crawled through her head. "Thank you, my Lord," she whispered, reverently. She tried to tell herself she was not pleased with the Dark Lord in that moment, but it would be a lie.

He understood and encouraged her to get the revenge she so sorely needed and craved in that moment. She walked the few steps to Roderick under the watchful gazes of the other Death Eaters and put her shoe under his chin, urging him to look up at her. The fear in his eyes made her feel a surge of power. "You will not enjoy this… _Ricky,"_ she hissed.

She then looked up and met Abraxas's worried eyes. She spoke coldly to him. "Abraxas Malfoy, I desire the use of your knife. Will you allow it?"

She could see that he wanted to refuse, but she was pleased that he couldn't. Not without expecting punishment and suspicion. He pulled it from his waist band and walked toward her, handing it to her handle first. "Hera," he murmured. She turned before he could begin to say anything else and approached her victim.

"Sua Peribunt!" she said, aiming her wand at Roderick. His clothes seemed to melt away, and he looked at her in surprise. She glared in response. She stopped a foot in front of him and bent down, putting the knife on the ground in front of him.

"Your efforts to win me over not only hurt me but also House Malfoy. I wished to marry the Malfoy heir, and you stripped that choice from me. I could have brought them happiness and good fortune, but you stole that along with my peace, my free will, and my self-respect. It is for that reason that you will be using this blade and that I will take away any choice you have in the matter…"

He looked at the knife, nervously, before looking up at her. "Hera, please," he begged, reaching out to her with one hand. She heard Niall in the background, still on his knees as he echoed his son's pleas.

"IMPERIO!" she said, angrily. _Pick up the knife, Roderick. Pick up the knife._

He seemed to struggle for a moment before he followed the order, reaching forward and grasping the knife in slightly shaking hands.

"Cut it off," she hissed, glaring at him. _Cut your useless cock off, Roderick. It will do you no good where you are going. Cut it off,_ now.

He screamed as he took the knife to himself. The pain did not seem to be lessened at all by the Imperius, and she was happy to see that he did not falter in his motions despite his cries. She saw that many in the room were looking away, especially if they had the vantage point that she did. She thought she could also hear someone throwing up.

He dropped the knife when he finished, and a part of her was shocked that she herself did not feel the need to look away as the blood pooled between his legs and the bloodied knife hit the floor. She released the curse to see him hunch over on himself, crying out in pain and fear. "Sit up, Roderick!"

He didn't listen, and she growled loudly before levitating him up into the air. With a flick of her wand, she flung him into the wall and pinned him there roughly. Several people had to dive out of the way so that he did not hit them as he flew by. After that, she cast a quick healing charm on him, cauterizing the wound. He howled at the smell of his burning flesh, and she crossed the room to him. Death Eaters parted for her, none daring to look her in the eye.

She walked up to Roderick, looking up his body and into his eyes. He looked as if he might pass out soon.

"Vires!" A rush of adrenalin would run through him, making sure he was not unconscious before the end.

He cried pathetically, and she smiled at him in a way that made several people around take a step back.

"Only one more, _Ricky,_ " she said, taunting him. She walked up to him and grabbed one of his bare feet with her left hand, placing her wand tip against the sole of the other.

"Fraendo Carnis!" His screams reached an unearthy pitch as from the feet up his skin and bone started to grind and mash, causing his body to start to fall in heaps to the floor like grotesque ground beef with chunks of bone. The screaming quickly stopped shortly above the knee as the femoral artery was obliterated, causing him to quickly bleed out.

When he was dead, she dropped the spell and turned, walking back through the crowd as the upper portion of his body hit the lower below. The squelching sound caused someone else to start throwing up from the sound of it.

She walked back to Lord Voldemort and stood in front of him. "Thank you, my Lord," she said, feeling her rage start to finally recede.

He looked at her with an expression she had never seen from him before. It was a mixture of pleasure and… affection? Any other day, she was sure having that look directed at her from him would have sent her running from the room in disgust in shame. Currently, she felt nothing.

"Of course. Would you like to further address the room?"

She shook her head. "I believe my actions speak loudly as to my feelings about betrayal."

He inclined his head in acceptance. "Very well. And Mister Nott's father?"

She turned and looked at Niall, glaring coldly. "Mr. Nott, I kindly left the upper half of your son's body if you wish for an open casket. I regret to inform you that I will not be in attendance at the funeral. Other obligations. I am sure you understand."

She looked back at the Dark Lord, ignoring Niall's anguish. "Do with him as you will," she said.

Voldemort nodded. "I do not think we really need him, and I'm not sure if he would be of any use after watching that." A flash of green light flew from Voldemort's wand, and Hermione didn't bother to turn around as Niall's body hit the floor completely.

"Might I be excused, my Lord?"

"Of course, my dear."

She went home, sure that Abraxas would make sure that Dumbledore found out. She briefly wondered how detailed her partner would be, but found she wasn't very concerned at the moment. This time, there were no tears of regret or pain, only numbness.

She wondered if Antonin felt this way when he had killed that muggle man.

She quickly stripped herself of her clothes and crawled into her bed. Pulling the covers over herself, she relaxed fully. Then, she fell asleep.

* * *

Author's Note: So, that was interesting to write. I worry that by the end of this all, I will have run out of creative ways to kill people via magic. Or perhaps I will just get tired of thinking about it. I think if I get around to writing that other independent piece I will make an effort to keep it much less brutal. Considering most of my writing takes place right before bedtime, I've had some nasty dreams. I feel like Freud would have something to say about my writing of Roderick's deal. Rest assured, my husband is wonderful, he has never been in danger at my hand, and I do not hate men.

Thanks for all of the awesome reviews on the last chapter! The poured in and the mixture of anticipation and anger was lovely. Please review with your thoughts.


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: JK Rowling hasn't answered my letters about signing over the rights to Harry Potter or giving all of her money to me…_

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Fifteen**

It was a rather simple conclusion to come to that she was not in the mood for work that week. In truth, she didn't really want to do anything at the moment. So, for three days, she lived in solitude. A few times, Abraxas had tried to come through, and when he tried to come the third time he had even convinced Adeline to come with him.

Even before the end of Roderick, she had given up hopes of spending any quality time with Adeline anytime soon. At first, it had purely been due to circumstances. It would look odd for Lucius's mother to spend any time with the woman he had ended things with. After that, she was sure that Adeline was upset with her for considering a relationship with Roderick. Abraxas had understood her reasons, but Adeline had not.

When she felt both Adeline and Abraxas at the ward line, she opened her door and nodded at them. _I'm alive. I've not offed myself. I want space._ The words didn't need to be verbally communicated. She shut the door and returned inside. A moment later, they had left.

Dumbledore had sent her several missives to check up on her, and he had even requested a meeting. She had begged it off, though, pointing out that he could get any information needed from either Abraxas or Rodolphus. Surely, they had already reported to him in full.

Several of her friends had tried to come by as well, but she was just as unwilling to see them.

She was slightly concerned for her state of mind. She didn't feel depressed or ashamed, but… she didn't truly feel justified either. In all honesty, she felt a sense of numbness that she had never experienced before. Of course, killing Roderick had been her first outright murder of someone. Self-defense had not been a part of what had happened.

Surely she should feel something, right? Or had the crack in her soul been started long before? Perhaps the actual murder was just the last step.

The only thing that gave her any amount of fear was thinking about what she might be capable of. She had never heard of someone being killed by a single person in such a heinous way before. The fact that her own hands and mind had done it… shouldn't it be reprehensible to her?

It was a week later, and she was considering taking a second week off from Hogwarts. She stood looking at the blank piece of parchment on her desk.

Staying away for longer would undoubtedly raise questions. Thanks to mediwizardry and potions, it was rare for someone to be sick for long. Missing every single day of work for two weeks in a row would appear strange. She knew Severus would be concerned as well, and she didn't want to risk that he would ask her about anything that she didn't want to answer yet. Informing the young 14 year old that she had murdered Roderick was not something she wished to do now or at any time in the future. She would rather just try to forget the whole thing.

She had just resolved to go in to work the next day when she felt her wards tingle. Antonin? That was certainly someone she had not expected to hear from.

She walked to the door, not even considering the idea of turning him away. He was probably one of few that she could relate to at this time. She suspected, however, that he would not see it that way. After all, he had killed a stranger that murdered his mother. She had killed her… boyfriend, for lack of a better word. Gruesomely.

She opened the door as he walked down the bricked path. He nodded at her as she stepped aside, allowing him in. "I brought something for you," he said, handing her a book as the door was closed behind him.

She reached out and looked at the cover. "Relational Potionery." She raised an eyebrow at him as she put the book down on the table.

"Thank you," she said, courteously.

He rolled his eyes. "Yes. If you look in there, you will find a section on love potions. I thought it important that you read it."

She nodded, and gestured to the couch. Her friend walked the few steps to it and sat down slowly.

"Have you heard from Lucius?" he asked, seriously.

She felt her heart clench at the thought. She had tried desperately not to think about Lucius at all lately. "No," she answered shortly. "Have you?"

He shrugged. "He's written a few times but nothing of consequence and nothing in a while."

Hermione nodded. "And did you respond?"

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "That's why I am here, actually. I think we can both agree that we are turning into the kind of people that Lucius wouldn't exactly be interested in. I already saw what happened when he found out the truth about you. Personally, I'd rather it end on my terms than have him tell me what he thinks before rejecting me, too."

His words stung, but she tried to look apathetic. She sat in the chair next to the couch and raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you haven't been talking to me? Or Roddy?"

He shrugged again. "Rodolphus can't get it. I don't think he has it in him to do what we have done. To be honest, I didn't think you did either. Sure, there was that glimpse with Bellatrix, but… you seemed so disgusted with me."

She looked down, hiding her face. In truth, she _had been_ disgusted by what he had done. Even if she had understood it. "I was worried about what you are turning into."

"And now?" he asked.

She looked up, pursing her lips. "That would be rather hypocritical of me, wouldn't it?"

He smirked at her, though his eyes betrayed a different emotion. "So, comrade… where do you stand now? Do you have regrets?"

She looked at him, trying to decide if he was worth the gamble. He seemed genuinely concerned, and she was pleased to see that emotion on his face. "I don't regret killing him. It was inevitable after what he did. Maybe, after it has sunk in more, I will feel guilty about how I went about it. For now, though, I don't feel anything except for relief that it is over. And anger at putting me in the position of wanting to do that to him."

Antonin nodded with a look of understanding on his face.

"You?" she asked, quietly.

"I… don't feel as if I had much choice, really, as to whether I killed him or not. It was kind of a foregone conclusion. I'm not sure if I wanted to kill him before he showed up there, but when I saw him… I wanted to do it. And I don't regret that he is dead. I do regret…" he trailed off, staring into nothing for a moment.

"His mother," she whispered.

Antonin looked at her intently for a few moments before finally nodding. "I… I understand what you were trying to tell us that day back in Hogsmeade now. I don't think I had much of a decision in that as well, but… I do appreciate what you said."

A small amount of hope bloomed in her chest, and she considered trying to push him. Perhaps she could turn him now… Before she could say anything, he spoke again.

"Listen, I came for more than just to talk about this. While I am happy that I feel as if I can… open up to you, that isn't why I am here. I… you need to look at the book, Hera."

"Why does it matter?" she said, sadly. "What's done is done."

Antonin shook his head and reached to the coffee table, grabbing the book. He flipped through it for a moment and then waved her to sit next to him.

Frowning, she moved to his side. "I think the Dark Lord knows, too, but I am not surprised he hasn't brought it up yet. By the way, an anonymous tip got to the ministry that the Notts were the culprits behind Anna's attack. Curiously, when the aurors went to get them, they had already left. Drained their bank accounts and left the country, apparently. Thought you would want to know."

She nodded at the story, pleased that she wouldn't have to attend a funeral for either of them.

She looked at the book, which Antonin had closed on his finger. "The every twelve hours thing is what made me think of this book. Most love potions are needed every twenty-four or last even longer, and lust potions work for anywhere between one to three…"

A feeling of trepidation ran through her as she looked at him. His face was flush with embarrassment and sympathy. "There is a potion used every twelve hour in arranged marriages. It has the bonus of not causing some of the lasting issues repeat doses of stronger love potions do, but… its purpose is…. It is suitable in arranged marriage."

He opened the book again and put it in her lap.

 _Crescite Nuptiarum_

 _In order to produce an heir, the Crescite Nuptiarum potion can be used to temporarily give the drinker increased desire for the brewer as well as temporary fertility. Unlike Amortentia, it does not have adverse effects from prolonged use on the drinker or the unborn child._

 _Many drinkers_ choose _to take the potion to insure a happy marriage with a spouse to whom they are not attracted. The potion must be used every twelve hours. As time between doses passes, the drinker will feel more pressure to be with the person the potion is keyed to, leading to anxiety and extreme irritability when separated. If the effect wears off, the drinker will be briefly feverish and nauseated before expelling any remaining potion from their body._

 _This potion does not_ promise _conception, but will increase tenfold the fertility the drinker is already experiencing._

Panic raced through her as she slammed the book shut. Her eyes grew wide as the words washed over her. _Nausea. Fever. Irritability. Anxiety. Every twelve hours. Fertility. Unborn child._

She stood up and started pacing. "Oh, dear God," she whispered, putting a hand to her stomach.

Antonin nodded. "I take it from your reaction that you haven't… seen anyone?"

She shook her head rapidly, and he walked over to her, taking her hand. "I… I…"

"Do you want me to perform the charm? We can find out the truth. Perhaps you don't need to be worried about it anyway. You could be…"

She stepped back from him, pulling up her shirt to expose her bare, flat stomach. Antonin nodded again.

"Go ahead and sit down. I already looked the charm over, so…" he said, his eyes pained on her behalf.

Reeling, she sat down on the chair, keeping her stomach exposed.

Quietly, he put his wand to her stomach and said the charm. A feeling of warmth rushed into her stomach, and Antonin pulled the wand away. A moment later, a stream of light erupted from his wand.

A choked sob filled her as she lurched forward, putting her head between her knees. She felt Antonin crouch down next to her as she started to cry.

"He… he…"

"Yes," Antonin said, sadly, rubbing her back.

"What do I do now?" she cried, struggling to think.

"You could…uhm, end it, if you wanted. The potion is illegal, but I think I could gather the ingredients before it is too late. I can brew it."

She shook her head. Regardless, this child was still… hers, and she couldn't imagine killing anyone that hadn't done a thing to deserve it. She had killed enough for now.

Antonin cleared his throat. "I expected not. In which case, I… we are good friends. I think that… well, Lucius wouldn't have much to do with either of us regardless, and… well, at least I don't feel as if I have to hide from you. We could, maybe… maybe we could be happy together. I… I have heard about a potion that can change the paternity. It could… no one would have to know."

Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. "Antonin! No! You don't want to marry me or have kids!"

He looked down. "Better that than have… than have everyone look at you like… and judge him for being born. There is enough of that already."

She felt a rush of affection for the man and put her arms around his neck. His offer had made things real, and she straightened up. She needed to get ahold of herself. "Thank you, but… I'll manage, Antonin. I can handle the dirty looks, and… perhaps I will be able to leave the country before… before he is old enough to hear any of it."

Antonin didn't question how she would go about leaving the country and merely nodded. "Do you… want me to tell anyone?"

Hermione shook her head. "No… I'll tell Him myself. And… I guess it really is no one else's business, is it?"

Antonin frowned at her but nodded. "No, it isn't. I… still, perhaps Adeline?"

The thought of Adeline and Lucius finding out turned her stomach and shame hit her. She shook her head. "No, Antonin. I'll… manage. I'll make an appointment at St. Mungo's in the morning."

He sighed, pulling back. "You know that… above all, I consider you my friend, right? You are probably the only person I can really…"

She looked at him and nodded. "I know you feel that way, and I appreciate it… but, Antonin, some day we are going to talk about this more. When… when you are ready. And, I will try to prepare myself for whatever that will entail. In the meantime… Rodolphus can be your friend, too. Don't hide from us anymore… please."

He didn't look teary, but she could tell that the words moved him. "Yeah, okay… Do you want me to stay?" He glanced toward the door for a moment, and she braved a very fake smile for him.

"No… I want some time alone. I will owl you, okay? Or… or perhaps see you first, depending on the Dark Lord, I suppose."

Antonin nodded and stood up. She mirrored his movement and walked him to the door. After another hug, he left, and she shut the door behind him.

Impulsively, she walked to the half empty bottle of brandy on the table. She had poured herself a glass before realizing that she couldn't drink it.

"Fuck," she said, leaving the glass on the table before going upstairs to cry.

* * *

Hermione woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. Somehow, the extreme stress she had experienced had culminated in her crying herself to sleep and not waking up for fourteen hours straight. Mercifully, she had slept without dreams.

Reality didn't seem to have the same amount of mercy.

She got up from bed and made a very quick dash to the bathroom before taking a long shower. After that, she walked downstairs, trying not to think too much about the baby that was, undoubtedly, growing within her.

After a cup of chamomile tea, she started gathering her things for a trip to Hogwarts. Dumbledore would need to know what was going on, and she was teaching the next day.

She knew, of course, that Albus would understand her taking more time off, but she didn't want to wallow. Talking with Antonin had actually worked wonders for her state of mind. She wrote a message to Albus, expressing her need for a meeting with him and Edgar. Edgar was one person she knew she could trust with the news of her pregnancy, and he was fully capable of checking to make sure that things were going smoothly.

Upon arriving at Hogwarts late in the morning, she immediately went to her rooms. She had told Albus she would be in his office at noon unless he had owled her back. Receiving no other news, she assumed everything was good to go.

As she went over her lesson plans for the next day, she also thought about how she would need to tell the Dark Lord. She suspected he was aware of the truth. It made sense after he had killed Niall anyway when Hermione had not demanded his death. With her pregnant, the Nott line would live on. And Voldemort likely thought that killing him would insure her loyalty even more. He had definitely picked up on the fact that the potion was used every 12 hours, so if he had the knowledge that Antonin did…

Still, she did not know which way she wanted to play this. Pureblood society greatly looked down on unwed mothers. While the Death Eaters would be forced to accept her, considering the circumstances, her child would be looked down upon as a bastard. In a way, it would have been better if Roderick had tricked her into bonding with him before he allowed her to leave to go see the headmaster. Then, at least, her son would have the Nott name and fortune, no matter how she detested the idea.

If she didn't want her son to feel the stigma of being conceived through rape, she would have to say he was an illegitimate child of another man. Many families would refuse their children interaction with her child. As much as it pained her, it might be a good thing to consider Antonin's offer. She knew he didn't really _want_ to do it, but she was already feeling the tendrils of loyalty toward the baby growing within her. His needs would have to come first.

A little over an hour later, she walked into the headmaster's office to see him speaking with Edgar Bones. They both stood for a moment as she entered, and she forced a smile before sitting down.

"Hera, I had wondered when you would be ready to talk to us about what happened," Albus said, encouragingly.

Hermione nodded. "I am sure that Rodolphus and Abraxas told you what happened." She looked at him with a raised eyebrow and saw the twinkle diminish in Albus's eye.

"Neither went into much detail as to how you killed Mr. Nott, but I was informed that it was painful. They were unwilling to share more." His voice trailed off, and he looked at her worriedly.

Edgar reached out from his seat at her side and took her hand in a show of support. She smiled at him.

"I think I was understandly upset. In retrospect, perhaps I should not have been quite so violent, but I think it will work in our favor. Not only are two unrepentant Death Eaters dead, but the Dark Lord seems more approving of me than before. He looked very pleased with my actions. As to killing him, I will not regret that."

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "And are you sure that you wish for him to approve of you at such a high cost?"

Edgar spoke up, then. "Headmaster, surely you can understand Hera's anger. Personally, I don't blame her a bit."

Hermione squeezed his hand in thanks before speaking again. "Extenuating circumstances have resulted in Roderick's attack on me."

The two men looked at her in question, and she didn't make them wait long. "I am pregnant."

She watched both men pale at the news, but they still didn't say anything. "Antonin came to my house last night. You should both be pleased that he opened up a bit. I think he feels similarly about killing the man who killed his mother as I do about killing Roderick. There might be hope for him after all. He agreed that we should speak later about things. Still, he is in there. He has not fallen off of the edge yet."

Edgar exhaled in relief, while Dumbledore stared on at her in surprise.

Finally, Albus spoke. "I am pleased to hear about Mr. Dolohov, but… you are pregnant? Are you sure?"

Hermione nodded. "Antonin performed the test. He also showed me the potion that Roderick used. Crescite Nuptiarum. It is most commonly used in arranged marriage to allow the couple to be temporarily attracted to eachother. It increases fertility to help bring about conception without the side effects of stronger love potions, but it has the unique downfall of being necessary to use every twelve hours."

Dumbledore exhaled in relief. "So, the baby will not be…"

"He should be perfectly capable of empathy and love."

"And you wish to keep the baby?" he asked, seriously.

Hermione held back the glare she felt. "Yes. The child has done nothing wrong, and I just… I couldn't do that to something that is part me. And, if you remember, I am already biologically into my mid-twenties. Before coming here, I liked the idea of starting a family somewhat young. While it might not be anywhere near the desired circumstances, I can love him."

"This will complicate your mission," Albus said, gently. "Not to mention the ramifications the child will have to deal with. Illegitimate children are not happily looked upon at this time…"

She allowed the glare to go then. "I will not end the life of something innocent just because it might _complicate my mission._ I will handle the complications. Fortunately, that could just be a temporary complication."

"How so?" Edgar asked, quietly.

"Antonin said he would marry me. He also said we could use a potion to biologically change the baby's paternity. I originally told him no, but I am making myself reconsider."

"And what about Lord Voldemort?" Edgar asked, causing Hermione to hiss. He looked at her in apology, reaching the other hand to soothingly rub her arm.

"I believe he is aware. He did pick up on the twelve hour life of the potion used, and he is very well read. I will be telling him soon."

"Would he contest you marrying Antonin?"

Hermione shrugged. "I do not think so. He would not want me to be alienated; it would cause issues within the ranks. I think he will be not argue with my desire to keep the circumstances of my pregnancy quiet."

"If you chose Antonin, both of the child's parents would be committed to the Dark Lord's cause. Is that something you would want? He would have a lot of access to the baby," Edgar said, looking at her seriously.

She sighed, "I don't have much choice, do I? He likely knows I am pregnant. He knows it makes sense for me to marry to avoid the stigma. He'll probably even encourage it. Antonin will, at least, care about the child, I think."

"And if you could have someone that wasn't a Death Eater?"

With a frown, she responded. "That would put me in the position of either telling more people, which I would rather not do, or deceive someone into believing the child is theirs. Both are certainly not want I wish to do."

"Marry me, then," he said, seriously.

Hermione was sure the shock showed on her face. "But… Anna," she said.

Edgar nodded. "We are close friends. When Anna died, we turned to each other for comfort. It became physical, and now we are getting married."

Hermione shook her head. "But… what would she think?"

Edgar shrugged, sadly. "I can't know for sure. I do think that she would understand, though. As it stands, I… I am certainly not over her. I can't imagine dating anyone anytime soon. You won't be hindering my life, and we _are_ close friends. You know that I would be a good father. Considering I am not a Death Eater, the baby would be safe with me. The Dark Lord wouldn't expect to be visiting our home, I think."

"Eddie, you don't love me."

He chuckled lightly. "Hera, _of course_ I love you. You are one of my best friends, and I trust you implicitly. While I might not be in love with you, I think we could be happy together. Also, I know the full truth. You wouldn't have to be living any sort of a lie with me."

She sobbed slightly at that thought, aware that Dumbledore was watching them with a growing look of approval and happiness.

The idea of not having to have _secrets_ from the person closest to her, the father of her child… yes, it was appealing. It was one of the most wonderful things she could think of. And, she did have to think of the baby. He would need a father that would care for him, love him… He would need someone that would protect him with everything he had.

That was Edgar. For a child conceived under such horrible, painful, unexpected circumstances, could she expect anything better than what he was offering? Someone that would take him in and raise him as their own? _Make_ him their own despite it all?

She looked at Edgar, trying to see hesitation or regret at having offered her everything she could realistically hope for.

"Say yes," he said, encouragingly.

She swallowed thickly and squeezed his hand once more. "Yes. Thank you."

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ I am sure that many of my readers have a different opinion regarding whether or not to abort the child. That is fine; you are free to have that opinion. I do urge you not to get angry with me (or Hera) because the opinion and choice made is not one you would choose for yourself. I am not intending to preach to anyone about what is right or wrong about this situation or to even open a conversation about it, I am merely expressing a viewpoint that many people _do_ have.

Outside of that, thanks for the support for my incredibly gross way of killing Roderick. I'm still a bit put off by it, but maybe it's just gross that I thought it up and put "pen to paper".

Next up you will get to enjoy a lovely snippet with Sirius Black as well as Hermione's conversation with the Dark Lord. And something that I think will please a whole stinking lot of you!


	16. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer: Yea, I don't feel like being witty. I don't own Harry Potter, and I haven't received anything for this except for some kind words._

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

Hermione's classes went well her first day back. She had been especially pleased to see Sirius and Severus sitting next to each other, though the two did not exchange words.

Curiously, the rest of the marauders were on the opposite side of the room, and Sirius didn't speak to them either. James had kept shooting looks toward Sirius, though.

Severus had looked very confused as Sirius had plopped himself down in the seat next to him with a tense nod before opening his book. Severus had thrown an incredulous look at Hermione who had merely smiled and began her lesson.

After the lesson was over, she was again surprised to see that Sirius engaged Severus in conversation. She could have sworn she heard a mention of the library along with a meeting time. Severus had quickly left after the rather strange encounter while Sirius packed his bags in the empty classroom.

As Sirius was leaving, Hermione cleared her throat to get his attention. He looked at her with stormy eyes.

"Is everything okay, Mr. Black?"

He nodded once, glaring at the empty door. "I'm still not friends with Snape. He's not as horrible as I thought, but we aren't friends. I'll be damned if I am going to let James Potter tell me who I _can_ and _cannot_ associate with, though."

Hermione smiled, lightly. "I am glad to see you are a man of your word, Mr. Black… and I am pleased you are making your own decisions."

Sirius blushed lightly. "Yes, well… I'd better be going, professor." Hermione waved her hand in dismissal, and the boy rushed out of the room.

As she walked down the path toward Hogwarts gates, she did feel a measure of peace considering the development. She had never thought she would see the day, but it seemed as if a friendship between Sirius Black and Severus Snape was possible. Now if only they could win over James and Remus. Again, she cursed herself for not having the desire to mentor Peter, but she truly just didn't have the temperance for that yet. There was nothing she disliked more than disloyal friends and betrayal. Maybe one day. At least she had time considering they were only third years…

She rolled up her sleeve absently before taking her wand in hand. Looking down at the Dark Mark, she glared. It truly was hideous and knowing that it would be there for the rest of her life was not an easy pill to swallow.

Touching her wand to the mark, she felt the pull of apparition as she was dashed away to the presence of her master.

Moments later, she was bowing shortly to the Dark Lord. He was having a drink with Abraxas Malfoy, and Hermione tried to avoid Abraxas's eyes as she cursed her luck.

"Miss Elias, this is twice in a very short amount of time that you have decided to come see me. I am beginning to believe that you enjoy my company," the Dark Lord replied, smirking.

"My Lord, I felt it necessary to share a few developments with you. I can return later if you are busy with Lord Malfoy, however," she said.

Abraxas's eyebrow raised as Voldemort's amusement grew. He threw a look at her stomach before speaking again. "I believe that Abraxas can be party to our conversation. Go ahead, Hera."

Hermione looked at Abraxas nervously. On the one hand, he would know she was pregnant eventually. She was sure he was trustworthy not to share the information with the other Death Eaters. She hadn't, however, planned on him finding out this way.

She cleared her throat. "I researched the potion that Roderick Nott dosed me with. Have you?"

Voldemort looked amused, "I didn't particularly feel as if I needed to do so. Please do tell what you have learned, though!"

She held back the glare she wanted to send his way. "He used a potion typically used in arranged marriages. Crescite Nuptiarum."

A slight strangled sound emitted from Abraxas, and Hermione threw a glare at the man while Voldemort tried to look sympathetic with little success.

"Can we assume that you are expecting a young witch or wizard, then, Miss Elias?" he asked, calmly.

Hermione nodded once. "Yes," she said, quietly. She avoided looking at Abraxas, though she could practically feel his gaze upon her.

"And what are your plans?"

She looked at him, hoping that he would agree to go along with her plan. "When the baby is born, I do not want by child to be labeled a bastard. I also do not want him to grow up under the stigma of being conceived under circumstances that are less than ideal. I have already met with Edgar Bones and told him what Roderick did. He does not know that I killed Roderick, but he knows about the potion he fed me. Understanding my fears and not wanting Roderick to get ahold of the child, he has offered to marry me and claim the child for his own. I have accepted and request you discretion, as well as Abraxas'."

"And you believe no one will find out the truth?" Voldemort said, acting as if they were talking about the weather.

She nodded. "Yes. The story will be that Edgar and I sought comfort in each other when Anna died. There is a potion that can change the baby's biological paternity. It will be seen as a marriage of… necessity, but at least the child will be legitimate and conceived through consent."

"A very dark potion, I believe… do you expect Mr. Bones to go along with that?" he asked.

Hermione nodded. "He has already agreed to do so."

"I am sure that we could find someone else willing to marry you to achieve those means. Why Mister Bones?"

She shrugged. "I trust him. He is a close friend and will truly try to raise the child as his own. I cannot seeing myself marrying anyone else under these circumstances." She glanced at Abraxas at that and felt a part of herself crumble.

The look in his eyes showed her that he saw it.

"You protested against Mr. Nott because you didn't _love_ him. Do you _love_ Mr. Bones?"

Hermione looked down, "Not romantically. What I want is not really a factor at this point, though. I didn't _want_ someone to contest my relationship with Lucius. I didn't _want_ that to end at all. And I certainly didn't _want_ to be pregnant with Roderick's child. All have happened despite what I want, so now I am going to do what I _need_ to do. My Lord, can I count on your discretion? That you will acknowledge Edgar Bones as being the father of my child?"

"You do realize that people will still look at you as impure because you had conceived the child out of wedlock?"

She snorted at that. "I am okay owning that 'crime'. I have certainly done worse in society's eyes."

Voldemort nodded before looking at Abraxas. "We can count on your discretion, Abraxas?"

Abraxas looked at Hermione for several moments before answering. "I would recommend not speaking about the pregnancy at all for a while. There is plenty of time to make it look like you have an actual relationship with Mr. Bones. Also, while I do not wish ill will on an unborn, magical child, some pregnancies just don't work out. It would be a shame to publicly commit yourself to him if it turns out to not be needed. I would never do something to hurt you, though, Hera."

Hermione smiled at him slightly and nodded. "I'll do that. Thank you for your time, my Lord."

The Dark Lord nodded and waved a hand, dismissing her. Hermione left, eager to return to her home and her bed. Why could life never be simple?

* * *

Abraxas Malfoy was a man on a mission. Granted, he was almost always on some kind of mission but it was rare that it was completely altruistic. He walked with purpose up the stairs to his son's new apartment in Krasnodar. Upon arriving there, he banged on the door loudly.

Moments later, a tired looking Lucius answered the door. The young man shook his head as if he was seeing things before rubbing his eyes. "Father? I wasn't expecting a visit… Is Mother here, too?"

Abraxas shook his head and stepped closer to Lucius, causing Lucius to step back and allow his father entrance. "No. Your mother is unaware of this visit. We need to talk."

Lucius looked at his father in confusion before gesturing to the couch. Walking further into the apartment, Abraxas was displeased to see the amount of mess. Clothes were on the floor as well as tossed over the backs of chairs. Numerous days' worth of dirty dishes lay on the table and counters. Most depressing were the amount of empty liquor and beer bottles scattered around.

Lucius cleared his throat, blushing slightly at the state of his apartment. "I've been busy," he said in excuse. Abraxas pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow at the young man who looked down.

"Have you become an alcoholic slob since finishing your apprenticeship?" Abraxas asked, frowning at his son.

Lucius cleared his throat, seeming to suppress a less than polite response. "Father, why are you here?"

Abraxas reached out, picking up a spare robe off of a couch cushion and tossing it on top of the pile next to him as he took a seat. "You are wallowing. Your mother is so eager not to cause you any hurt that she is more concerned with preserving your good relationship with her to tell you what she actually thinks. I have no such reservations. Sit."

A look of defiance and anger crossed Lucius's face, but he sat after another moment in a chair facing his father. "Go ahead, then."

"You are an idiot, Lucius," Abraxas said deadpan, staring at his son, angrily.

Lucius spluttered for a moment, indignant, and Abraxas nodded.

"I can wait to expound on that thought while you gather what small amount of sense to which you desperately cling," he continued.

After giving his son some time to calm down, Abraxas spoke again. "As I was saying…idiot. We both know that I had my… reservations regarding Miss Elias when she first came to stay with us. Since then, my reservations have dissipated, leaving me with a very strong urge to hex your genitals off to prevent you from daring to attempt a relationship with someone else. It is my full belief that there is not a witch known to man that is more worthy of your loyalty and love. Yet, you thought it best to blow up at the woman over something she had _no_ control over. Because your pride was hurt at her not telling you every secret she had, regardless of the good reasons for keeping things from you, and your fear at losing her as she fought for a very worthy cause, you have decided to fester here, ruining your chances. I did not raise an idiot, Lucius, and I will not coddle you like your mother has."

Lucius's eyes were dramatically widened as his father finished speaking to him. After a moment of shocked silence, he responded. "Coddle me?! Mother has barely seen me since I ended things with Hera, and she let me know that she thought I was making a mistake! She just is willing to accept my decisions and not treat me like a child!"

Abraxas snorted. "Dragon dung, Lucius. Your mother has practically cut Hera out of her life to prevent you from being uncomfortable. She _is_ siding with you because you are her _precious baby boy_ , so yes… she is treating you just like a child. I, however, am going to treat you like a man. You need to pack your things, return to England, and right your wrongs. Hera needs you, you damned idiot!"

"And since when did you become her champion, Father?!" Lucius yelled, standing from his seat and glaring at the older version of himself.

"Since I watched her sacrifice _everything_ for the betterment of our society and our family! Since I watched her splinter her soul to keep other people safe from that fucking maniac!" he screamed, standing from his own seat and coming to be toe to toe with his son.

"What?!" Lucius asked, surprised. His father was not one to _ever_ raise his voice, and the words he was relaying were disconcerting at best.

Abraxas sneered. "You…idiot. Due to oaths I have made, there are things I cannot say. What I can say is that I am _at Hera's side_ when she needs me. She could have used _you_ , but you haven't been there for her. Because of your cowardice and self-pity, she is now in a horrible situation."

A flash of panic went through Lucius's eyes, and his body stiffened. "What do you mean? Is she hurt?"

Abraxas clenched his fists. "She told the Nott boy that she would not be with him because she could not see herself feeling for him how she _still_ feels for you, despite you being a complete _idiot._ Told him she didn't love him and wouldn't settle for cretin then doused her with a love potion in the hopes of _forcing_ her to marry him. Fortunately, Dumbledore noticed something was wrong and kept her there while it wore off."

He did not mention the pregnancy. Part of him wondered if he should, but he couldn't guarantee what Lucius's reaction would be. Lucius needed to go make amends with Hera, and she needed to tell him that bit of news herself. Then, Circle willing, he would make the right decision and propose marriage to her.

Rage seemed to enter the room as a separate entity as the temperature escalated a few noticeable degrees. "She's… he… _I'll kill him_ ," Lucius hissed, grabbing his wand from its holster.

Abraxas pushed his son back from himself and glared. "If you had been where you _should_ have been, supporting her, loving her, that might have been something up to you. As it is, she already _killed_ the bastard in front of all of us."

Lucius looked shocked as he stumbled back, "She… murdered him?"

"She eviscerated him," Abraxas said, angrily. "Since you left, she has been approaching the edge. As has your supposed _best friend_ , and you have abandoned them both to their fates. Have you even bothered to check in on Antonin? Have you even thought to ask your moter what they were going through? You certainly haven't asked me! You need to fix this, Lucius!"

Lucius seemed to deflate as he flopped back on his couch. "How? It's too late…"

Lucius felt sick to his stomach. He truly had been wallowing in self-pity. He had neglected his friends while they were in need, and left Hera in a horrible position, alone. If he had just _listened_ to her, he could have been there for her. Perhaps Roderick wouldn't have given her the potion at all if he knew Lucius was there to threaten him.

Abraxas sat down, and his tone was softer than it had been the entire evening. He looked at his son quietly as he spoke. "I can see that you are thinking rationally for the moment, so I will say this. You can't help what has already been done. You can't… go back in time and fix this. You can, however, try to fix what hasn't happened yet… son."

Lucius looked up at him from his lap and slowly nodded his head. "Yes, Father."

Abraxas stood up and reached into a pocket of his robes, pulling out some parchment and holding it out to his son. "I had this drawn up before you decided to be an idiot. You'll need it, hopefully. Don't let her say no, or you will regret it for the rest of your life… which wouldn't be long because I might just kill you."

* * *

On March the 22nd, Hermione was walking home with some bags of groceries on each arm. It had been an exhausting few days, and she was very eager for a few days off from any adult responsibilities.

She approached her wardline, and upon crossing the magical threshold felt the presence of someone else. Someone she had _not_ been expecting to see.

" _Lucius,"_ her voice whispered, soft like a prayer.

Her stomach clenched at the thought of him being there then. Either he was here to tell her how horrible she was or… perhaps to forgive her. Neither were good at the moment. Any reconciliation would immediately be taken away once he found she was pregnant.

She walked into the front door and didn't see him waiting in the living room. She called out, nervously, "Hello?"

She only had to wait for a moment as less than a half second later, she heard one of the kitchen chairs scraping against the floor as someone stood from the table. Then, he was in the archway looking at her.

He had looked better, though he still looked impossibly beautiful. Still, his eyes looked drawn and worried, and she thought he had lost a bit of weight since last time she had seen him. "Lucius," she greeted, softly, clenching the handles of the grocery bags tightly.

"Hera," he said back, looking at her sadly. He walked toward her and reached down, prying the bags from her fingers. Silently, he set them down on the floor beside them. He straightened himself again and looked at her for another moment before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to him in a hug.

It was like coming home. All of the sudden, the only person she really _wanted_ and _needed_ affection from was there, giving it to her freely. She cried out, pressing herself into his strong chest as she lost the ability to stand.

He whispered nonsensically in her ear, supporting her weight. Soft, barely there kisses were pressed against her hair.

Her tears were mixed. Some of sheer elation at having him there with her again. More due to the fear of the horrible conversation she imagined was coming. He had likely heard that Nott had "left the country". That she hadn't gone with him. It had been in the Daily Prophet, of course. And now she would have to tell him that she was pregnant… and marrying yet another man.

After another moment of surrendering herself to his presence, she pulled away, sniffling as she wiped her face. "Lucius… you don't want to be here…"

He stook his head as he took her hands in his. "Yes, I do. I have wanted to be here for months, but I was… I overreacted. I didn't give you a chance to explain, and I ruined everything. Hera, love… please let me come home to you."

She looked up at him, not even bothering to wipe away the tears that were freely flowing down her cheeks. "Why come back now?"

He walked to where she was sitting and knelt down on the hard wooden floor at her feet. "My father… he came to see me and told me what was happening. He told me that Roderick had given you a love potion, and he told me that you killed him because of it."

Hermione shook her head angrily. "He shouldn't have done that. Lucius, I'll be okay. You should live your life. You can be safe… happy…"

"Safe… perhaps. Hera, don't you know I won't ever be happy unless I am with you? You are… I can't even imagine loving someone else. The idea of you being hurt… Hera, I have to help. I have to be here. I have to be yours if you will let me, but I swear to you right now… I will not leave no matter what. I will be here doing whatever I possibly can to keep you. Please."

She shook her head. "Lucius, you don't have to do that. Go back to Russia where you can be safe and away from all of this. I… I have people that can help me, and I don't want to worry about you."

Lucius grabbed her hands again. "Please, don't do this to me. Forgive me. Let me help you, let me love you."

Hermione turned her head, wiping her eyes on her shoulder as she looked away from him. "Lucius, I didn't even get to tell you everything last time before you left… you don't want me, Lucius. If you couldn't handle it then, you certainly won't be able to handle it when you know more! I'm not sure I'm the same person I was when you left."

"Because you killed him?" he asked, quietly.

She looked at him, wondering how much detail Abraxas had given his son. "Partly. I… I was ruthless, and I enjoyed it. I also… I punished Bellatrix, too. Shortly before our last night together. I might be… I don't know if I am who you want anymore."

He shook his head. "I'd be more surprised if you didn't get some amount of pleasure from it. I think it is natural to want vengeance when someone has… victimized you like that. The point is… did you enjoy inflicting pain for the sake of inflicting pain or as retribution for what had happened?"

"It's still joy from hurting someone," she said.

He sighed and leaned forward, kissing one of her cheeks. "No, it is relief from taking the power back… from taking power away from someone undeserving of it. It is justice from knowing that they are receiving punishment for what they did. It might not be something to be proud of, but… what you are feeling, I think it is normal."

She shook her head, unsure if she agreed with him or not. Things like good and bad, evil and righteousness… it was muddled in her head.

"When I first met you, you told me that we choose to be dark. We can do dark things and even enjoy it at times, but it is when we allow it to take over our thoughts and actions, when we get joy from it… that is when we are going too far. I understand if you are conflicted, love, but… I'm not. Let me be strong for _you_ this time."

She looked into his pleading eyes, seeing only honesty there. If only it were that simple. "You still don't know everything."

He nodded, "Fine. Tell me. And if you feel like my reaction is not acceptable… obliviate me. Do with me what you will. But… please give me a chance and consider taking me back."

They stared at each other for a long time. Lucius tried to look as calm and hopeful as he could, while Hermione evaluated him. Finally, the weight of a secret kept for far too long finally became too much to bear. "I'm a time traveler."

* * *

Author's Note: FINALLY! And, yes, to those of you that are private messaging/reviewing me and getting worried that I have just forgot to change the pairing on this story: No. This is STILL and will REMAIN a HG/LM story. Surely some of you guys have had rough patches? This is not predominately a romance, though. Neither is life, for that matter. If you are looking for outright fluff, I think you should have already figured out that this isn't it. Anyway, thanks for all of the awesome reviews! Keep them coming! I love to hear your thoughts. And, yes, I love Abraxas, too. Idiots. ;)


	17. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Harry Potter, which is a shame because I do own a bit of house and a mortgage._

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

Lucius said nothing, blinking at her in surprise. Obviously, that had not been what he expected. She watched him, waiting for an explosion. None came. Eventually, he seemed to snap back into reality, nodding very slowly. "Okay… explain."

She took a deep breath, standing to pull him to sit next to her on the couch instead.

"Has your father talked to you about time travel yet?"

Lucius was thoughtful for a few moments. "Outside of the concept? No. And never in detail. Does _he_ know?!"

She shook her head. "He doesn't know that I am a traveler, but he knows it is possible. Your family, your ancestors, created a time travelling device. Though… perhaps time travel isn't the proper term. We are not in a loop, but… it is kind of like two trains travelling down parallel paths. I jumped from the faster train to the other, landing in a car further toward the back. The train I left goes on, unaffected and moving fast because I cannot do anything else to it. My presence is gone, and it continues without me. The one I jump into… I can change its course with my actions."

"My family? How do you know about this, and I do not?"

Hermione smiled, eager to let the knowledge out finally. "It's a family secret. Your father, if honoring tradition, will tell you when you turn twenty-one. At that point, you will be sent back a week. According to… you, it is to instill Malfoy family pride as well as to let you know the consequences a single decision can have."

"So… _I_ told you this?" He looked confused.

"Yes," she whispered, "When I told you that without changing what I had Seen you would end up in Azkaban? A murderer? A zealot? You were the one who told me and sent me back here… with the help of your son."

Lucius closed his eyes, thinking. "But… if I were to travel back a week… wouldn't there be two of me?"

"No," she answered, "I could only come back because I had… well, I hadn't been born yet in this timeline. If you were to use the device, you would travel back and simply replace yourself… as if the old you never existed at all. Mal-… the other Lucius said he had lived his life, plus a week."

"So I sent you back here to…"

She sighed. "Yes, you sent me back here to save you. That was his main priority, his own skin. He said I was, of course, free to do as I wished with the rest of my time, but… I was to focus on him. That is why he sent me back to his seventh year of Hogwarts. He thought he was most vulnerable then, and the real Hera Elias was a good cover to get close."

Lucius looked in shock at that. "Your… wow, your name isn't even really…"

Hermione blushed, shaking her head. "No, it isn't. It would be too odd when the future me was born and went to Hogwarts if there was another woman by that name that looked just like her."

"What… what is your name?" he asked, looking at her as if she was magic itself.

She smiled, sadly. "I… I go by Hera, now. It is not safe for someone to say my actual name. I… I will tell you, but… you can only say it this once, and… if it is necessary in the future."

Lucius looked slightly annoyed by that but nodded. "Okay, then… what is it?"

She took a deep breath before revealing the depth of her biggest secret. "I'm Hermione Granger. A muggleborn that will be born to muggle dentists on September 19th, 1979." Saying the words, telling him about _herself_ , was like a weight lifting from her.

He looked at her for a moment before leaning in toward her. He brushed his lips against the shell of her ear before whispering. "Hermione Granger… I still love you."

She shuddered with pleasure, feeling a few tears leak out at having him say her own name to her. She leaned back and raised a hand to his face.

"My… my mission to your other self… I think I have done that. You are… you are nothing like him, bar your looks… though you are much younger."

"When did you come from?" From the look on his face, the sentence sounded weird to him.

"2001," she said, quietly.

After a moment, he looked at her in confusion. "So, you are actually… I mean, how old are you, then?"

She blushed. "25; I will be 26 later this year."

He cleared his throat at the realization, looking befuddled.

"Does that… bother you?" she asked, nervously.

He shook his head, quickly. "No, I mean… we are still incredibly young by wizarding standards, it's just… I never would have imagined you were… well, I guess I never would have imagined any of this, so it is kind of a moot point."

She chuckled before turning serious again. "I need to tell you where I came from," she whispered.

He nodded, and took her hand. "Go ahead. I'll listen."

* * *

For the next three hours, she told him everything about the first and second uprisings of Voldemort with no cushion. She told him about the prophecy, Severus's delivery of it, and the murders of James and Lily Potter. She told him of the Death Eaters, including himself, and how they had helped. She told him about the horcruxes and her efforts to hunt them down with Harry and Ron. She told him about her torture at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange while captive in Malfoy Manor. She told him of the final battle, seeing Harry dead before he was alive… seeing the Malfoys huddled together with an uncertain future. Then, she told him of the beginnings of peace: his imprisonment, Ron's death, and her settling for her job at the ministry.

When she finished with _her_ past, she went on to what brought her to _the_ past. She told him about the Malfoy device and how it was used. She told him how Draco had opened it for her, sacrificing his own chance to use it and encouraging her. And she explained, from her point of view, what it was like meeting him. After she was done, he was still silent for several minutes, looking at her.

"Okay… I have some questions," he said, quietly.

She nodded at him in encouragement.

"Did you… did you force yourself to be with me at first?"

She laughed, shaking her head. The relief of letting go of the long kept secret from the person she had wanted to know had temporarily taken away the stress and reminder of the other things she would have to share with him. "No… I was completely floored to be so attracted to you. It was strange to come to the realization that the older version of yourself had been right. I didn't think it was possible for you to actually want me, and I am not sure if I truly saw you as someone that could be someone I would want. But… I did. You differentiated yourself from the older Lucius quickly… when we had our first actual conversation… about the patronus charm."

Lucius's lips quirked at that before nodding.

"Did you anticipate what has happened here? How much did you plan out?" he asked, quietly.

She sighed. "Not much. I didn't have long to prepare to come here. I had a lot to do in a short amount of time, and I regret not studying what happened in the first war more. Anna… Anna was the first major failing, I felt. I knew I had never heard of an Anna Greengrass, though I went to school with her brother's daughters. Actually, one of them married your son… Astoria. I don't know if Anna would have died or how she would have died without my presence, but… I wish I could have prevented it. As far as things I did plan and still plan to do… outside of destroying the horcruxes and the Dark Lord himself, I want to prevent Severus from becoming a Death Eater, as well as Regulus and Rabastan. Severus is… he's special to me, though. I think I have already achieved that, and I am hoping to cancel out the enmity he felt for James and Sirius. I… I want to keep James and Lily alive, and I do hope they marry. The world without Harry seems... wrong. The Older You told me that Rodolphus and Antonin could possibly be saved, and I agree. Rodolphus, I think he will be fine. Antonin… I am still working on that. There are various people that died that I want to prevent… the Prewett twins and Edgar come to mind immediately. I want to prevent Bellatrix from torturing the Longbottoms into insanity. Neville deserves his parents. Luna Lovegood's mother died experimenting in front of her. It is one of the few things not connected but important to me, but her mother is still very young right now."

"And do you think you are doing well there?"

She shrugged. "Unfortunately, I have realized that I can't really know. I can try to warn them before it happens, and I can try to prevent the circumstances that get them there, but… they are still fighting against the Dark Lord. That is what put them in danger, and it cannot change. I hope they will be more prepared, but the more that changes the less I know. Antonin killed the Prewetts last time. Rodolpus and Rabastan helped Bellatrix with the Longbottoms. I… I think I can at least prevent their hand in it, but I can't know if someone will simply replace them."

Lucius looked at her sadly before nodding. "You didn't intend to be a spy, then?"

Hermione snorted. "No. No, I didn't want that at all. It… I suppose I should have predicted the possibility, but I didn't. I truly… I really didn't have a choice. Now that I am there, though… I feel I can make a lot of difference. I mean… Roderick was known for being brutal and cruel… his victims won't be killed by him anymore."

Lucius sighed, pulling her to him in a hug. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here… that you had to do that. I should have been there."

She snuggled into his chest, taking comfort in him. "I knew there was a chance you wouldn't take it well. I think we were both so stressed by circumstances at that point… we were fragile. We were lost to each other."

Lucius pulled back, looking at her seriously for a moment. "I suppose I have only two more questions for now then."

She nodded, prepared to answer. "Can you take me to Dumbledore to join the order?"

She smiled lightly, though she felt fear in knowing that he would be risking his life in joining. It would also put him into a completely unknown territory. He wouldn't be neutral but actively _against_ Voldemort. "Yes."

"Great. And… when can we get married?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "Lucius, you can't seriously want that."

He smiled, gently, summoning the papers he had left on her kitchen table. "I brought the contract. You just need to sign it, and we will pick a date. It doesn't have to be immediate… we can reconnect first. But, please say you will marry me. Eventually."

Hermione felt tears come to her eyes again as she scooted back from him. Without thinking, she blinked rapidly to staunch the tears, but it only caused them to pour down her cheeks. "Lucius… you father didn't tell you everything."

He looked at her in trepidation. "Are you… have you fallen for someone else?"

The idea was so ludicrous that she laughed through her tears, a despairing, cynical laugh that set Lucius's teeth on edge.

She rubbed at her cheeks. "The potion that Roderick gave me… I think he wanted me to almost have no choice in marrying him. He…"

She tried to think of a gentle way to break the news, but she was sure it wasn't possible. She looked around the room, almost as if something in it would provide the answer. Finally, she ripped the Band-Aid off. "I'm pregnant."

He looked at her, his face making it clear that he was having trouble processing the words. She rubbed at her eyes again, standing up and returning to the chair she had been sitting in earlier. He needed space.

"The potion he gave me made me much more fertile… Antonin figured it out and cast the spell himself. I… when I told Dumbledore and Edgar… we decided, well..."

"Go on," Lucius said, quietly, looking at his lap.

"I am keeping the baby. I just… I can't end it. I want to give him every chance in life, and I don't want him to know he is a product of… rape. Edgar offered… we are getting married. We are going to use a potion that will make the baby biologically his; it is dark, but it can be done. It's the best way to keep him safe and give him a background he can be proud of."

Lucius looked up at her. "You… you are marrying Edgar, then? Do you… love him?"

She smiled sadly, putting a hand to her stomach. "He is one of my best friends, but… no, I don't love him. Not like… no. But, he will be a good father. He is somewhat unattached to the situation, and he believes he can love the baby as if it was conceived as his own."

"Marry me, instead."

The words were unexpected, and she inhaled sharply upon hearing it. Then, she shook her head, feeling the tears start to flow faster.

"Lucius, I love you. I… I can't imagine loving anyone like I love you, but… you can't. You couldn't be his father. You would resent him, and I need to do what is best for him."

"I would never, _ever_ resent my child," Lucius said, passionately, standing from his seat.

She sighed. "But he wouldn't really be yours, would he?"

Lucius paced the room as he responded. "He _can_ be my child, just as much as he could be Edgar's, and… I would be thankful for it. As… as much as I regret what has happened, I don't know if… what if I had kept hiding away, insisting on being miserable for the rest of my life? This child has… the unfortunate circumstances of his conception have led me back to you. How could I resent that?"

He walked to her chair and knelt in front of it, looking into her bloodshot eyes. "There will be plenty of time to make our own children, and… you know that I love you. I could love and care for _you_ , not just the child. Hera… please, marry me instead."

She looked at him, silently, trying to decide how to discourage him from this idea. Trying to talk reason into him. She was _ruined_ for him, couldn't he see that? In the meantime, he reached behind himself, grabbing the betrothal contract off of the table.

"You _will_ do this because I _want_ you, and Edgar doesn't. You don't have to lie to me anymore, and I will raise the child as if he is my own. We will _make_ him my own. Please, don't turn me away."

She looked at him for several long minutes, waiting to see the regret and hesitation in his eyes. She was equally overjoyed and terrified not to see it.

His being here was almost a dream come true. At the same time, she knew it was highly dangerous for him. He would be on the Dark Lord's radar again, but… wouldn't he still be if he insisted on joining the Order? Eventually, if she was able, the war would be ended. She would have to make a life here for herself… and her son. Could she really resign herself to life without Lucius when it was so willingly offered to her.

"Let me make this right, love… I won't let you down again."

Finally, she nodded, reaching for the papers with shaking hands.

He summoned a quill from her desk and handed it to her, and he watched as she signed her name below his already neat signature. And then, the parchment rolled itself up and disappeared.

Then, he was kissing her.

* * *

Hermione woke up the next morning, snuggled in Lucius's arms. She sighed in contentment before tossing the heavy comforter off of herself. With her pajamas and his body heat, it was simply too much.

They had both decided to just snuggle up together the night before after a mentally exhausting conversation. She, honestly, wasn't sure if she was ready to have sex yet again. While she knew that with Lucius it would be entirely consensual, a part of her psyche was still wounded from the ordeal.

She smiled as she felt his fingers trail up along her arm. "I could hear you thinking. It woke me up," his voice said, still rough from sleep.

His soft lips pressed against the back of her neck, and she hummed in approval before responding. "Yes. Just thinking of all we need to do. I was thinking we could go to Hogwarts today. Albus will make time. Call Edgar there. Then, I can go see the Dark Lord while you speak to your parents."

He sighed. "Can't we just stay in bed today? Catch up? Relax before things get crazy?"

She chuckled, sitting up as she shook her head. "Things have _been_ crazy. We need to do this today. Otherwise, what if Edgar tells people we are getting married? I'd have to counter that information with people. It is best to get it done quickly. Your parents… how do you think they'll respond?"

She wasn't surprised that Abraxas had gone to speak to Lucius, but she wasn't quite sure he would be thrilled for Lucius to be marrying her now. Her doubts were quickly answered.

"My father is the one that drew up the betrothal contracts and brought them to me to give to you. They will approve. And probably insist on an engagement party."

She groaned as she stood up, grabbing her wand off of the nightstand. "Ugh. Do we have to have a party?"

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Unless you want it to look weird, yes. Speaking of which… what will the story be?"

She thought for a few moments before answering. How would it most appear plausible that they were together and having a baby so soon. Then, it was simple.

"After I… killed Roderick, I came back here and got drunk. Abraxas came to you and told you what had happened, and you came to me. We ended up sleeping together, and I accepted the proposal. We will pretend I am not pregnant until it has been a reasonable time for me to know. The only people that know about the pregnancy are us, your parents, Dumbledore, the Dark Lord, Edgar, and Antonin. They can all be persuaded to go along with the story."

Lucius nodded as he sat up, brushing his hair over his shoulders. "Okay. If you can take care of the rest, I will talk to my parents and Antonin. I need to talk to Antonin either way. I haven't been a very good friend lately."

Hermione smiled, sadly. "He could use another friend right now. Don't… don't judge him too harshly no matter what. He's had a rough go of it, too, and I think he is regretting what he's signed up for. Encourage that as safely as you can, but don't give yourself away."

"Okay. So… Dumbledore first?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I will owl them to meet us in my quarters there as soon as possible. Why don't you take a shower?"

Lucius got up from bed and stalked to her. "Only if you'll join me."

She rolled her eyes, taking a step back. "Big day. Business first. Pleasure later. Go."

* * *

Hermione took a left off of the third floor corridor with Lucius at her side. Edgar was standing outside her quarters, talking to the guardian. The suit of armor was holding out his helmet for Edgar to inspect.

"Wow, it looks like you took a good blow to the head," he said, fingering the side of it. He put the helmet back on top of the suit of armor. "Did the person wearing it survive?"

The suit shook its metal head, and Edgar nodded. "I wish I knew when. It would be great if you could-"

"Edgar?" Hermione called, amused.

Edgar turned to look at them walking toward them, smiling at Hermione. Upon spying Lucius, though, his smile disappeared.

"Lucius," he said, a frown forming on his face.

Lucius stiffened lightly, and Hermione put a hand on his wrist. "Let's take this inside? We can catch up while we wait for the headmaster."

Two fourth year students smiled and waved at her as she walked by, and Hermione returned the gesture before giving the password and escorting the men in.

She walked to her sofa and took a seat, watching as Lucius and Edgar both seems to race to take the seat next to her. Lucius won, and Edgar seemed to glare a bit as he sat down across from the couple in a chair.

"Lucius, what brings you back to Britain? Trying to make amends for abandoning Hera?"

Lucius was stopped from responding by the fire turning green, and Dumbledore coming out. "Hera! I wasn't expecting to-"

Dumbledore's eyes moved to Lucius and widened for a moment before the twinkle started full blast. "Mr. Malfoy! What a lovely surprise!"

Hermione motioned to the other chair in the room, and Dumbledore sat down. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag. "Lemon drop, anyone? Hera, these really are fantastic."

Hermione smiled as the three declined. Dumbledore shrugged before putting one in his own mouth. "So, what can we do for you today, Hera?"

Hermione decided to get down to business straight away. "Lucius came to my home last night. Apparently, his father went to visit him after he found out the news. Lucius wanted me to tell him the rest of what I was supposed to, and then proposed marriage."

"So he is informed as to…"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, he knows everything that both of you do… more perhaps, but nothing particularly consequential. Personal stuff."

"Remarkable, isn't it, Mr. Malfoy?" Albus said, smiling.

Edgar cleared his throat. "So, he knows you are a time traveler and now he wants to marry you because you are some sort of… mystery? Is that it? Why else would he want to marry you knowing that you-"

"Edgar, I would suggest you not finish that sentence," Lucius growled.

Hermione smiled at the two. "Edgar, I have accepted the proposal. When Lucius asked, he didn't know that I was pregnant. And telling him… he still wanted to marry me. With him… he loves me, you know?"

"I love you, too!" Edgar said, angrily. "And I never abandoned you when you needed me! But I was there while you went through months of mental anguish because of _his_ temper tantrum!"

Hermione reached out, taking Edgar's hand. "But you don't love me, Edgar. Not as more than a friend…"

Edgar shook off her hand. "A loyal friend is better than a disloyal lover!"

Dumbledore cleared his throat, reaching into his bag of candy for another piece. "Mr. Malfoy, am I free to assume that you are here for reasons other than sharing your impending marriage to our dear Miss Elias?"

Lucius nodded. "Yes. I wish to join the resistance immediately. I want to help in whatever way I can."

Dumbledore smiled, "And you realize it could be quite dangerous? Need I remind you that you have friends and even family, other than Miss Elias, that are Death Eaters?"

Lucius seemed to be fighting not to roll his eyes. "My family is no danger to me, Death Eaters or not. But, yes, I am aware that people I care about are there. All the more reason to stop them before they commit worse crimes or to get them to turn around, yes?"

"Miss Elias?"

Hermione shrugged, frowning lightly. "He is committed to staying, and I told him that he would have the option to join if he finished his apprenticeship. The time has come."

Edgar glared. "How can we expect him to be a loyal member if he can't even be a loyal boyfriend?!"

Lucius sighed, meeting Edgar's glare. "I treated Hera badly. I should have given her a chance to explain, and even if I ran off I should have come back well before now. I realize that what has happened is partially my fault. I have also neglected my friends and family. I am willing to make amends if it will be allowed. However, it is Hera's choice if she allows me to do that with her. Not yours. I _want_ to marry her. Pregnant or not. Death Eater or not. Spy or not. Time traveler or not. She is who I want."

"Well some of us don't get who we want! But you don't even care about that, do you?! You didn't even come to Anna's funeral!"

Hermione felt a rush of sympathy crash over her as Lucius blushed with shame.

Despite not being particularly close, Lucius and Edgar had considered each other to be friends. She watched as Lucius realized that he had truly let down more people than just her and Antonin.

Lucius took a deep breath before responding. "I know, Ed. I was wrong. I should have been here, regardless of what was happening with me and Hera. I… please know that I am so sorry for what happened to Anna, and… I will do whatever is needed to keep others from meeting the same fate. I don't expect you to accept my apology, but please know that I _am_ sorry. I should have been here."

Edgar and Lucius stared at each other for several moments before Edgar stood up. "Fine. Fine. I believe you, but… Lucius, if you ever hurt Hera or… if you let us down again, I am not above hurting you. And if you _ever_ mistreat the baby or make him feel like he…"

Lucius stood, stepping toward Edgar and putting a hand on his shoulder. "The baby will be _my_ son or _my_ daughter. Hera will be _my_ wife. I will not let them down again. And I will try not to let you down again."

Hermione interjected, "As far as anyone who doesn't know otherwise is concerned, it will be our child. I believe everyone that already knows, even the Dark Lord, will go along with the story. I think he will be more pleased for me to marry Lucius, anyway. As far as anyone else knows, we are getting married, and we don't even know I am pregnant yet. Okay?"

Edgar looked at her for several minutes before speaking. "This is what you want? Are you sure?"

Hermione smiled at him for a few minutes before nodding. "It is my best chance of being happy when all of this is over. And… and yours, too."

Edgar cleared his throat, seeming to be fighting off tears. "Okay, Hera. Whatever makes you happy. I… I have to get to the hospital. I hadn't told anyone yet, so… so there are no issues there. You three can take care of everything else?"

Hermione smiled and nodded, and she watched as Lucius reached his hand out to Edgar. "Thank you for… thank you for being a good friend to Hera, Ed."

Edgar was thoughtful for several moments before finally nodding and shaking the hand that was offered. Though he did it with a little bit more strength than necessary, if Lucius's expression was anything to go by, Hermione was pleased that he had at least accepted his hand.

Edgar was fiercely protective of his friends, and his Hufflepuff loyalty had never been in question. She knew he would have honored his promise to treat her child as his own. He probably would have even attempted to be in a relationship with her in time, but… it wasn't what either of them wanted with each other at the moment. Edgar's parting words and slight glare were enough to convince Hermione that she had a great friend in Edgar, and Lucius did as well.

"Do better this time."

* * *

Author's Note: Edgar Bones is a helluva guy, isn't he? I am sure you were all thrilled for the end of the breakup. And for Lucius straightening out. I know many of you were hoping for a lot of groveling on Lucius's part, but look at it this way: the stress and things Hermione has gone though... the one person she wanted just returned and asked for forgiveness. Sometimes, it is easier to just let go of hurt, especially from someone that genuinely repents. Not having room for mercy is a terrifying way to lead life, especially when it is beneficial to both.

Thanks for the reviews, and please bring on some more. I want to know what you think!


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter, but I do own this particular series of words arranged in this particular sequence to make this particular story. I don't get paid anything for it, though._

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Eighteen**

After Edgar left, Dumbledore had not wasted time swearing Lucius into the Order of the Phoenix. He was told that he would be invited to the next meeting. They updated him on the spies within the Order, considering he was closely connected to all of them, and Hermione informed him that Antonin had offered to marry her before she had chosen Edgar. Lucius had flushed with shame that Antonin had ever felt that the offer was needed.

Because he had already figured out the fact that Abraxas was a Death Eater and spy, he was sworn to secrecy there. While the Order knew that Hermione was spying, they were not largely aware of Abraxas. He also proposed having Lucius become Rodolphus's handler of sorts, considering that Edgar was intending on becoming more of a visual face of the resistance since Anna's death. Additionally, Lucius spending time with Rodolphus would not be questioned.

Lucius had been surprised but pleased to learn that Rodolphus had turned spy for the Order, and the knowledge that it could be done, that his friends were salvageable, made him even more eager to speak with Antonin.

Because of his eagerness, Hermione decided that he should seek out Antonin while she went to inform the Dark Lord, telling him only not to push too overtly yet.

So, in the late afternoon when Antonin was mostly likely to be off work, she and Lucius separated going to their respective meetings with plans to meet at Malfoy Manor afterward.

Walking into the Dark Lord's office, she was pleased to see that the man was alone, reading a book. He looked up when she walked in, smiling as warmly as he could. "Miss Elias, what a pleasant surprise!"

Hermione bowed deeper than she had in the past. She knew she needed to look as if she was being won over to his side, even if part of her wondered if parts of her _were_ being won over. "My Lord, thank you for taking the time to see me. I came with news."

"Wedding plans, I imagine?" he said, closing his book and leaning back in his chair. He gestured to the seat on the other side of the desk, and she took it before responding.

"Not ones you would expect, my Lord. Lucius came to see me last night. I assume that after our last meeting, Abraxas went to see his son. I suppose he never did outright say that he wouldn't tell anyone. Slytherin. Lucius proposed to marry me, and the fact that I am pregnant did not change his mind. I… thought you would find him more suitable than Edgar Bones, I certainly do."

The Dark Lord nodded, slowly. "Yes, of course. Lucius's family is reliable and would not turn their backs on you if your allegiances were to be discovered. I do not think we could say the same for Mr. Bones, and I think your child would be less likely to be taken from you if Lucius is your husband. Does he intend to blood adopt the baby?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. I believe that Antonin has the book with the necessary potion in it."

The Dark Lord stood and walked to a bookshelf in the corner, plucking down a book bound in very worn brown leather. "Yes, he does. I have a copy of the potion as well. This book was written by the potion's creator and has many other interesting potions. I think it will be a good read for you."

He walked to her and held out the book, and she nodded as she took it from him.

"Thank you, my Lord."

"I assume I should contain any fantasy I have to announce the news of your pregnancy to the rest of our merry band?" he said, smirking.

Hermione blushed lightly but nodded all the same. "Yes. I wish to let people assume that Lucius and I became engaged when he came to check on me after Roderick, and we conceived the baby together."

Voldemort nodded. "Wonderful. That sounds plausible. The potion you are to take… I am not sure if there are multiple potions for the same purpose, but the one in the book is not pleasant. It is to be taken the night of the first full moon after you are twenty weeks along. That is July fourth, I believe. It will be quite painful for you and if you are unable to stay conscious through the pain, you will lose the baby and perhaps not wake up. I am sure you are capable of dealing with the pain, but if you are uncertain there are many other options. Glamouring would be more risky to the child but not to you at all."

Hermione was slightly disgusted with how interested he seemed to be. Was he actually concerned for her welfare or did he simply not want a weapon he was forging to be compromised?

"I will deal with the potion. Lucius will be with me, and he can help me through it. I would like the child to be truly Lucius's biologically, and I think it will be easier for him as well."

The Dark Lord nodded. "Very well, then. Have you told Lucius's parents the happy news?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not yet, my Lord. He went to go tell Antonin, and we plan to meet there afterward."

"Good. Also, please tell Abraxas I would like to see him at his convenience. I had intended to call him tonight, but he obviously will be busy. You can tell him to come in the morning."

"Any other orders to pass on, my Lord?" she asked, curious as to what Voldemort wanted with Abraxas.

"Not at this time, Hera. Be prepared for a full meeting soon, though. I am planning a big move soon."

"Yes, sir. Thank you again for your time and confidence," she said, backing toward the door.

"Of course. And, Hera?"

"Yes, my Lord?"

He smirked, then. "I hope your pregnancy will not cause a shift in your willingness to do as I order." The look in his eyes was slightly threatening, and Hermione stiffened.

Though she was bursting with questions, she forced herself to bow again. "My word is my bond, my Lord."

"Splendid. Have a nice evening."

* * *

Lucius rode the elevator through the magical building toward Antonin's apartment. Apartment perhaps was not right the right word considering its size, but it would have to do.

He was slightly nervous as he walked down the hall. He wasn't quite sure what to expect from his friend. Hermione had said that, with exception of their last conversation, Antonin had greatly changed from the last time Lucius had seen him. He was not sure if he would get his friend, Antonin, or the Death Eater, Dolohov.

Raising his hand, he took a breath before knocking on the door.

A moment later, he heard the heavy footsteps of his friend before the door opened. Upon seeing his face, Antonin's eyes widened fractionally. Lucius went to speak, but it was cut off as a fist flew straight into Lucius's face, knocking him backward as his nose collapsed with the force of the punch.

He cried out in pain as he held his hands over his nose, looking up at his friend in shock. His eyes grew wider as Antonin came forward. A boot implanted itself in his chest, knocking him fully onto his back. And then, Antonin grabbed his ankle and dragged him into the apartment. Upon pulling Lucius's head through the door, he wandlessly shut it before pulling Lucius to the side, banging his already abused head against an entry table. Then, he released Lucius's feet and aimed a wand straight between Lucius's shocked, pained eyes.

 _Dolohov, then._

"What the fuck are you doing here, Lucius?" Antonin said, glaring at his oldest friend.

"I came to talk," Lucius said, his speech sounding strange as the air passed through his bloodied, broken nose.

"I don't think I have anything I really want to say to you," Antonin said, still levelling his wand on his friend.

"Well fix my nose, and I can properly tell you what _I_ need to say!" Lucius said, angrily.

Antonin sneered before waving his wand. Heat passed through Lucius's nose and Antonin smirked. "We will see how well the ladies like you with a crooked nose."

Lucius gasped, putting his hand up. Sure enough, the nose had been mended and the skin fixed, but it had not been reset. He could feel that it was misshapen and clambered off the floor. Pulling his own wand, he aimed it at Antonin.

"What the fuck, Antonin?!"

Antonin glared, stepping forward. "Do you want to duel, Lucius? Go ahead, make my day. I'd love to wipe the damned floor with you! I've been practicing, or haven't your heard?" The look on his face was dangerous, and Lucius found himself putting down his wand.

He took a calming breath, wishing he could look in a mirror and check out his nose. Gods, what if it had ruined his face?! Hera would be pissed!

"Listen, I came to talk about Hera."

"Zacroy svoy peesavati rot, zhopa! Don't you bloody dare to say her name! You fucking left her over Roderick fucking Nott! She wasn't giving him the time of day until you up and abandoned her! And now she's..."

"Going to marry me!" Lucius said, interrupting his very angry friend.

Antonin's voice suddenly stopped. The apartment was silent for several moments.

"You… what?" Antonin said, surprise and a bit of something else in his voice. Excitement?

Lucius nodded. "My father told me what happened… or part of it. I went to her last night and proposed, and then she told me she was pregnant. I'm still going to marry her. I still _want_ to marry her."

Antonin's arm slowly lowered, "You don't deserve her."

Lucius sighed, looking down. "No, I don't. But I am going to do whatever it takes to change that. I _will_ deserve her because from now one I am going to prioritize her… and our child… above anything else. I am going to listen, and I will _not_ leave her again."

Then, he looked up again, meeting his friend's eyes. "I… won't leave again. And I won't… I've been a bad friend."

"Fuck yes, you have," Antonin said, with an angry tone that was nowhere near the levels it had been at before.

"Antonin… I'm sorry," he said, quietly.

Antonin cleared his throat. "I'm not ready to forgive you, yet. I'm pissed that you have pretty much ignored me. Not that I have reached out, but… I think you knew I needed you."

Lucius nodded, "I did. I just… I was too cowardly to deal with it."

Antonin licked his lips, contemplating his next remark. "I… I asked her to marry me, you know. She… I would have made sure she was okay."

Lucius nodded again, smiling guiltily at his friend as he stepped forward. "And I will never be able to thank you enough for that. While I wasn't being a good friend to you… you have been a good friend to me."

Antonin sighed. "It's Hera. She's the priority now. I am willing to move past all of this shit with you, but… she's first now."

Lucius stuck out his hand to his oldest friend, "I want it that way."

Slowly, Antonin shook his hand, though Lucius could still feel the obvious tension. Antonin put his wand back up his sleeve into its holster before walking to the door. "Come on. I'll buy you a beer, and we can catch up. I'm not apologizing, but I'll pay because… well, your nose is fucking ruined now, Luce."

Lucius groaned as he followed his friend out of the apartment.

* * *

Hermione arrived at Malfoy Manor before Lucius did. Though she hadn't been to the Manor in months, she still felt relatively comfortable there. Knowing that Adeline and Abraxas would have been informed that she had arrived, she walked to the family living room.

Seeing that the room was empty of her hosts, she walked in and took a seat on the couch she and Lucius had grown accustomed to sharing together.

She smiled as she heard heels clacking on the marble floor outside, growing nearer. A moment later, Adeline walked in, looking surprised. "Hera… we weren't expecting you today."

Abraxas walked in a second after his wife, silent on his feet as usual. "You weren't, my dear, but I had hoped Hera could join us for dinner."

Hermione stood and walked over to Adeline, hugging the woman lightly. Since her breakup with Lucius, she hadn't spoken much to Adeline. While it had hurt, she understood that Adeline thought her place was next to her son, even if she wasn't happy about it.

She heard Adeline sniffle lightly as the older woman returned the hug, and Hermione saw Abraxas's look of approval over the blonde woman's shoulder.

The floo in the room lit up and Lucius gracefully came out, causing Adeline's eyes to widen. Adeline pulled back from Hermione, though she clasped onto one of her hands.

"Lucius! You are visiting? Why didn't you tell us?"

Lucius smiled beautifully and walked up to his mother and kissed her cheek. Then, he stepped back and slid an arm around Hermione's waist, causing Adeline to gasp.

"You… you are back together?" she asked, hopefully. Then, she took a second look at her son. "What on Earth happened to your nose?!"

Lucius nodded, frowning as his free hand came up to touch his previously broken nose. Herimone and Abraxas were also looking at him in shock. "Father came to visit and tell me what an idiot I had been. As to my nose, I was with Antonin before this, and he was not so happy to see me considering my break up with Hera."

Abraxas chuckled lightly while Hermione looked at her fiancee's nose in surprise. By purely aesthetic standards, it was horrible. It looked as if it had been crushed and rebuilt. Part of the bridge was flat before it crooked slightly to the right. It actually seemed to work on his face somehow, though. It definitely separated him from his older self, visually. And it made him look… roguish in a way. Lucius seemed to catch her contemplative look at his face, and smirked when he saw that she didn't seem disgusted by it.

"Serves you right," she and Abraxas both said at once.

Lucius glared as he continued, "He was, however, pleased to know that Hera has agreed to marry me."

Adeline covered her mouth with a hand as she sobbed lightly, obviously with joy. She then turned to her husband and kissed him on the mouth. "I love you more and more every day," she said, thankful for her husband's hand in bringing the young couple back together.

Abraxas smiled at her gently before looking at his son and Hera. "Congratulations. I can think of no woman I would find better suited for Lucius and the Malfoy name."

Lucius squeezed Hermione's waist happily as she smiled. "Thank you, Abraxas."

Abraxas nodded and gestured toward the sofas. "Let's have a seat. I am sure we all need to catch up a bit."

Once seated, Adeline looked at Hermione and Lucius with a big smile. "When do you want to get married? We will have to throw an engagement party, of course. Could you get to work on a guest list as soon as possible? Would you be okay with us having it here in the ballroom? Perhaps late summer?"

Lucius and Hermione looked at Abraxas, trying to figure out if he had told Adeline about the baby. He shook his head, subtly.

Hermione cleared her throat. "We actually want to get married soon. Maybe… how about a July wedding? Middle of the month?"

"July?! That is so soon! Why the rush? No offense, of course, we are very eager to have you in the family, but it is a very short time to plan a society wedding."

Lucius took Hermione's hand in his, rubbing the top of it with his thumb. "We have wasted precious time being apart from each other. We don't want to waste more time apart with no good reason. We both know that we intend to uphold the betrothal contract, so why wait?"

Adeline nodded, though she looked stressed. Abraxas put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "My dear, if anyone can plan a wedding in three months, it is surely you. Besides, expense is not an issue. We can hire people with the expectation of getting things done quickly."

"And the engagement party?" Adeline asked, quietly.

Hermione smiled. "I think we would all prefer to keep less than welcome faces out of happy occasions. How about just a dinner here with close friends? We can take out a page in the Prophet to announce the engagement otherwise."

Adeline frowned but nodded slowly. "Very well, but I am sure you know that the wedding will have to be large."

"Obviously, my dear. We will not only have to invite the Dark Lord and his followers but also Dumbledore and the Order."

Adeline's eyes snapped to her husband in reprimand, darting her eyes pointedly to her son.

"And to that, I think you should know, Mother, that I was sworn into the Order this morning. Father knew I intended to go," Lucius said.

Adeline looked slightly sick at that but nodded. "I suppose it is better than the two of you willingly following that… maniac, but I don't like the idea of you being involved at all. And Abraxas and Hera…"

Lucius nodded solemnly in agreement.

Abraxas cleared his throat. "Yes, well, at least Hera and I are able to help each other if need be. So… July, then. Now, how about this engagement… dinner in two weeks?"

* * *

Hermione sat patiently in her office, waiting for the knock she was already expecting. She had sent Severus an owl a few days before saying that she wished to meet with him, and she was excited to see her friend outside of an academic setting.

She was just putting the tea bag in to steep when she heard the knock. "Come in!"

Severus opened the door and walked in, shutting it behind him. He looked just as happy to be there as she was. "Professor," he said, sitting down in the chair across from her desk.

She smiled at her friend. "When we are not in class or around other students, you know I prefer you to call me Hera, right?"

Severus nodded. "Why am I here? Not to say that I do not wish to be here, but I feel like there is a purpose. We've been keeping our distance…"

Hermione smiled softly at him. "Yes. Well, I wanted to catch you up on a few things. Tea?"

Severus looked slightly anxious but nodded, taking a cup she held out for him. He preferred not to let his tea steep too long and enjoyed white or green teas, contrasting with his dark appearance and reputation.

She decided to get down to business. "First of all, I wanted to let you know that Lucius came back."

His eyes widened, and he tried to suppress his excitement after a half second of showing it. While Lucius was nowhere near as close to him as Hermione was, he was still one of Severus' first friends. She knew it had been hard on Severus to find out that they were broken up.

"And… what does that mean exactly?"

Hermione had struggled with what to say in this conversation. She knew that Severus was strong and appreciated the truth, but he was still just a fourteen year old boy, no matter how mature. Still, she believed in making lemonade out of lemons, so a certain amount of the truth was necessary.

"Lucius came back and proposed to me. After a very long conversation, I agreed. We are going to be married in July."

Severus looked happy about that, but still was stiff in his chair. He always seemed to expect the worst, and the fact that she had to share bad news with him hurt. "That's wonderful, Hera. Is it true what I read in the Prophet about Nott? He was behind Anna Greengrass's murder? I imagine he won't be happy to hear about you and Lucius."

Hermione took a sip of her own tea in an effort to seem calm and composed. "He was involved in it, yes. But the Prophet was only partially right. Roderick and his father are both dead."

Severus's eyes widened again, and she smiled at the innocence behind it. The elder Severus had been so stoic (outside of angry) that she would have found the expression on his face to be ridiculous.

She continued, knowing the question he wanted to ask. "Roderick gave me a love potion when I told him I wouldn't continue a relationship with him. I killed him for it. But…"

She hesitated. She hated keeping things from him, and she felt like he needed an adult to put faith in him for once. Someone he could trust to trust him. So much of his innocence had already been chipped away at that point, but she still felt horrible to tell him things that were so personal. He was as close to family as she had here, and she hated to hurt him or take away more of his faith in the world. But, would it really remain much longer anyway?

Dumbledore had tried to give Harry a childhood, a life, believing that he was bound to die and should enjoy what time he had. How much easier could Harry's life have been, though, if they had known beforehand? If they had prepared him for the battles to come?

Could she truly not prepare Severus for the ugliness of the world? Knowing the kind of things Death Eaters did would only make him more adamant to keep himself and his friends far away from them.

She sighed, trying to smile at him. "I need to brew a potion in July. It is a dark potion and very difficult. I truly believe that you are more capable than anyone else I would ask to help me with it, and it requires two brewers. Abraxas would be my second choice if you felt like you didn't want to do it, and I think he would be okay. It has to be perfect though, or it could be very dangerous for me to take."

Severus looked nervous but intrigued by the idea of brewing such a complex potion. "What is it?"

Hermione took the potions text and opened it up to the appropriate page. Then, she slid it across the desk to Severus.

He took the book from the desk and placed it in his lap to read. She knew when he had figured it out. His shoulders stiffened, and his hands clenched the book in his lap. After a few minutes, he looked up at her, and she could see the tears swimming in his eyes. "You…"

Hermione stood up and rushed around her desk, crouching down in front of the boy's chair. She took the book and put it on the desk before taking his hands in hers. He looked back down rather than meet her eyes, and she felt tears falling down her own cheeks as she spoke. "Severus… it's horrible, but I am okay. It wasn't… it wasn't violent. He didn't physically hurt me."

To her, the fact that a love potion had been involved might actually make it worse. She hadn't even had the sense about her to protest. She had _made love_ to Roderick Nott and conceived a child… against her rational will.

To Severus, though, she hoped that it would be a consolation. He had seen his mother beaten and abused his entire life. Perhaps that it hadn't been violent would help him.

She heard him cry and pulled him to her, hugging him tightly. "Sev… it's okay. I'm okay."

They held each other for several minutes. Finally, he took a deep breath and exhaled, letting the stiffness fall from his shoulders. "I hope it hurt when you killed him," he whispered.

She pulled back and looked at him, not wanting to share those details. "Severus, no one could have helped at the time, but I could use your help now. I want you to help me brew this potion. That way, the baby will not have to know that he was made that way. He will have a loving father who will look like him and treat him as a son. Can you help me?"

He nodded, wiping his eyes. "Does Lucius know?"

She sat in the chair next to his as she answered. "Yes. He will be there to give his blood for the potion. It is best if it is as fresh as possible. He will also be there to help me because it is supposed to be… painful to use."

"And when does it need to be done?"

"July the fourth. It takes 11 hours to brew, but it is constant motion. Someone has to prepare ingredients fresh while the other tends the potion itself. When not adding or preparing things, I'll need your help stirring. I will need to rest as much as possible to have the energy I need when I take it."

Severus nodded before glancing at her still flat stomach. "Do you… feel okay? I hear that women get sick when they are…"

Hermione smiled at him and nodded. "Morning sickness. It hasn't started yet for me, and I hope it doesn't at all."

Severus cleared his throat, seemingly uncomfortable with talking about pregnancy. "When are you and Lucius going to get married?"

"A few weeks after the potion. The 18th of July. I was hoping you would be there for that as well? It will be a large event with… everyone there. I wish I could have you stand with me, but… I think it is going to be just Lucius and me."

Severus looked surprised that she had considered to include him but nodded, brows furrowed.

Hermione smiled and reached out, taking his hand again. "Haven't you figured it out by now, Sev? You are much more than a student or a friend. You are my family."

His eyes took on a misty quality again, but he nodded, smiling slightly. "You are mine, too, Hera."

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks for all of your super awesome reviews. I haven't been doing much writing the past week or so (not that that will affect my update schedule much at this point). Something super exciting is coming up here soon in my personal life, so I am a bit busy. As a result, no review responses (unless absolutely necessary). Still, thank you for all of your feedback. It makes me super happy. As to offers of beta-ing: For now, I am going to stick to doing it on my own. If I feel pressured to put out stuff, I lose motivation and stop writing. Considering this is going so well so far, let's not jinx it. I'll probably go back at some point and do more thorough editing, but I think I've been pretty good about not messing up massive stuff.

Next up is some more time with the Dark Lord and his merry band of misfits.


	19. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the world of Harry Potter, and I simply enjoy playing with it. No profits required._

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

Hermione walked into the drawing room of Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange's home with her head held high. She did not know why she had been summoned, but she did know what part of her conversation that day would entail.

Just that morning, the Daily Prophet had a half page photograph of Hermione and Lucius together with an article announcing their engagement and upcoming wedding.

Abraxas had not arrived yet, so she walked toward one of the few truly friendly faces in the room. Antonin stood near an end table, looking bored. Coming to a halt next to him, they stood silently, waiting for the Dark Lord to arrive.

"Hera. Congratulations on your engagement. Lucius is a lucky man," her friend said. His eyes still looked generally closed off, but there was something of… him underneath it all.

She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Especially now that his nose is crooked. He's lucky a woman will marry him at all." She felt her lips twitch in amusement and watched as his did the same. She reached out and touched his arm.

"Thank you for being a friend, Antonin. Dinner on Tuesday? Half of seven? I'll cook that lamb dish that you like."

He smiled and nodded slightly.

Their smiles were broken as Voldemort walked into the room with Abraxas at his side. The two were not speaking, but Hermione could tell that Abraxas's stone-like expression could only mean that had not been the situation minutes before.

"My loyal Death Eaters! I appreciate your promptness in answering my call. Today is a big day! Those present here today will be leading a raid. I am sure many of you are aware of my disdain for the muggle loving fool Albus Dumbledore. We will show him, today, that we do not fear fighting for what is ours underneath his very nose. We will be attacking McKenzie's Muggle Magic, a shop that has recently opened with the intent of selling our naïve youth wares of the muggle world. The owners and anyone else working or shopping there are to be given no quarter. Still, if Aurors arrive, leave if you feel overwhelmed and return here. I would be most displeased if any of you ended up in Azkaban, despite doing our righteous work."

Hermione had not been to the shop, but she had heard about it. Many of the students had been excited to visit the shop on the last Hogsmeade weekend. The castle had recently become home to several magical recordings of muggle music held within small cubes, and it was not uncommon to see a bag with a peace sign stitched into it. In fact, Hermione had even seen a student drinking a Coca Cola with his dinner one night.

The owners were a muggleborn couple, Ewan and Rose, and they had two small children not yet of Hogwarts age.

"The shop is to be burned to the ground, along with everything inside of it. We will preserve our culture by destroying that which threatens it!" The Dark Lord summoned a box toward himself from a nearby table before handing it to her. "I also have a gift for you all. A mask to be worn with your robes. We can thank Cygnus Black for his creative idea, even if he is not here to fight with us today. Keeping these hidden when not in use would be in your best interests."

Hermione looked down at the box and opened it, seeing the familiar Death Eater masks. The one on top looked like the others, except it also had silver around the eyes in a swirling pattern. "The one on top is for you, Hera," the Dark Lord said.

Hermione took out the mask and put it in place, looking around at her fellow Death Eaters.

Several people around clapped and shouted in approval, and Hermione caught Rodolphus throwing her a look. The Dark Lord saw it and smiled.

"I suppose that before we get to the fun of the evening we should address good news for one of our own. Hera Elias has accepted a proposal from Lucius Malfoy, and they intend to be married in July. They shall bring powerful, magical children into our world willing to stand up for our cause!"

Hermione nodded her thanks at the "blessing" while others in the room clapped again, many looking much more genuine than others. She started to pass the box around, starting with Antonin. Soon, everyone had a mask in hand or on their face.

Bellatrix cleared her throat, glaring at Hermione. "My Lord, when do we get the honor of following your orders?"

The Dark Lord smiled, seemingly pleased to have the attention back on himself after the required niceties. "Immediately. All here are expected to attend and participate."

Hermione felt her stomach drop. There would be no warning today. She had to hope that Dumbledore would respond quickly regardless.

* * *

Hermione apparated to the edge of Hogsmeade and heard the familiar cracks that accompanied the arrival of her fellows. The Dark Lord stood at her side with his hood drawn up but no mask to cover his features.

As the cracks of apparition faded into the silence, the Dark Lord started to walk down the center of the street. Hermione walked next to Antonin just behind their "master".

The group of twenty marched quietly through the street. Several people that were already there saw them and stepped to the side, looking at the group with trepidation. The Dark Lord ignored them, and the rest followed suit.

Hermione was thankful that it was, at least, not a Hogsmeade weekend. The students would be, for the most part, safe. They all came to a stop outside of the shop in question, and the Dark Lord turned to her. "My dear, would you mind getting the owners of the shop and escorting them here?"

Dutifully, with dread filling her, she blasted the doors off of the hinges. She walked in to hear many shoppers yelling as they crouched to the floor in shock. She heard a gasp to her side and saw the flutter of a familiar silvery material move around an aisle. Her eyes widened. Those damned boys were going to get themselves killed!

Deciding to make the most of an, admittedly bad situation, she loomed as she walked around the shop. Her wand was held aloft, threatening, as she pulled random things off of the shelves and pretended to inspect them before throwing them against walls. She walked around the corner that she had seen the cloak in and bent over to look at a muggle snow globe.

Speaking in as quiet of a voice as she could, she ordered, "Keep your cloak on and get up to Hogwarts. Be Quiet. Tell Dumbledore the Order is needed." She stood up again with the snow globe and threw it down before walking toward the register.

The young couple was there, cowered together.

"The Dark Lord would like to speak to you. Outside! Now!"

She hoped and prayed that Potter (and whomever might be with him) got out. To help, she made sure she was very noisy as she marched back toward the entrance. "OUT! NOW!" she yelled.

When the couple continued to cower, she aimed her wand at one of them. "Mobilicorpus!"

The wife was lifted into the air, and Hermione walked outside, guiding the woman with her. The husband screamed, jumping up and trying to pull on his wife's body to keep her with him. Wandlessly, she cast a stinging hex at the man, causing him to release his wife.

"OUTSIDE!" She walked back down the steps to the Dark Lord and dropped the woman the few feet to the ground. Her husband scrambled down the stairs and fell to his knees at her side as they looked up at the assembled Death Eaters and Dark Lord in fear.

The street was mostly empty now as several people had started to dodge into shops. She could eyes peering through windows all around.

"Ewan and Rose McKenzie! Do you know why we are here?" The Dark Lord's voice was loud, commanding the attention of all within ear shot.

The two muggleborns shook their heads, though the fear in their eyes let it show that they suspected nothing good would be coming their way.

"You have committed crimes against our community! Not only did you steal magic, forcing your way into a society you do not belong in, you are now corrupting our citizens with muggle trash! You and others like you are ruining our culture, and we will not stand for it!"

The couple on the ground shook their heads frantically, protesting nonsensically in fear.

"For those that can hear me, mark my words. My name is Lord Voldemort and these are my many associates. We refuse to hide in the shadows any longer, watching as our traditions and society are trampled but mudbloods and blood traitors! This will be an example of how we deal with those who defy us!"

The Dark Lord then conjured a sphere of blue fire before hurtling it at the store. The walls immediately set fire, and customers started to run from the burning building. "No quarter, Death Eaters!"

Hermione watched in horror as customers came running down the stairs to be struck down by a wide array of curses. Some were killed with what seemed to be merciful killing curses. Some were thrown back into the building to burn. Others received the Cruciatus and other hexes, bleeding and screaming on the steps and in the street just in front of the shop.

The couple had jumped to their feet and were screaming as they looked to windows on the second floor. "MORGAN! SEAN!" Their children were up there.

The fire had not spread yet to that floor, and the mother continued to scream for her children while the father turned around and bowed down to the Dark Lord.

"My Lord! My children! Please, they are innocent!"

The Dark Lord sneered as he aimed his wand at the man and cast the Cruciatus, his expression cold as he watched his victim flail and scream.

Hermione watched in horror as two children came bursting out of the shop. Bellatrix send a sickly yellow curse at the young boy, watching as he fell to the ground, throwing up copious amounts of blood. His sister screamed as she ran to her mother, and they clutched onto each other before running back to the boy.

The Dark Lord released the Crucio and then haphazardly banished the father through the burning storefront and into the inferno that had been his shop. Hermione struggled to contain the contents of her stomach as she heard his screams.

Hermione looked back at the mother and her children, seeing that the mother was cradling the limp body of her son while the young girl held her brother's hand, both sobbing hysterically as they looked at the burning storefront, surrounded by the bodies of their customers. Soon, the screams of their husband and father faded.

The Dark Lord cleared his throat, and it somehow got their attention. The mother looked at the Dark Lord with no small amount of fear in her eyes before she slowly put down the body of her son. Then, she crawled toward them, her head low as she sobbed. Her daughter remained with the body of the young boy, watching her mother in shock.

"Please…"

The woman's voice cracked on the word, and she sobbed hysterically once more before gathering her strength and speaking plainly.

"Please, if you will spare my daughter and I… we will leave the wizardly world. I will snap my wand right here, and we will never again use magic of any kind. Lord Voldemort, I beg, please, for your mercy."

The quietness that had descended on the street allowed all to hear, and the Dark Lord was silent for several minutes as he looked upon the woman with malice.

"You are not worthy to speak my name, and you are not worthy to live in our world. My mercy does not and _will not_ extend to you. My name is to be _feared_ , not thrown about by filth! How _dare_ you speak it?"

"Lord… my Lord… I am sorry. Please," she begged, her voice becoming hysterical once again.

The Dark Lord raised an eyebrow before slowly turning his head. Hermione felt her heart stop as he looked at her.

"My most loyal, dispose of this woman's daughter in order to teach her some manners," he said, calmly.

Hermione stared at him, uncomprehending for a moment, then, a hand came to lay on her back.

"You have to," a voice whispered from slightly behind her. Antonin.

Stepping forward, she raised her wand and aimed it at the girl, listening as the options ran through her head.

She could refuse to do it. That would mean, at the least, blowing her cover. Most likely, it would mean her death… and potentially the deaths of those close to her. Regardless, it wouldn't be pretty, and she knew that completing her mission before things escalated even more would be next to impossible.

She knew what he wanted. He wanted her to torture that little girl… to take joy in the mother's screams as the last member of her family was taken from her. To prove herself willing to cause pain.

She looked at the girl that was staring back at her in fear. Where the fuck was the Order? Vaguely, the sounds of the mother's screams registered with her, but only just.

She couldn't torture the girl. She couldn't torture her, but the girl's death seemed inevitable. At least from her hands, it could be much more quick.

Knowing that there would likely be consequences for what she was about to do, she spoke a curse she had never said before. "Avada Kedavra," she forced herself to say, dispassionately.

The green light flew at the girl, and Hermione turned her gaze slightly to the right, watching the burning store as she heard the body thump down onto that of her brother's.

The Dark Lord hissed. "Not much of a message! You can do better this time, can't you? I've seen you do much better."

He pointed his finger at the mother. The young woman was staring at the bodies of her children in shock, completely silent. She didn't even seem to understand or care that the Dark Lord was ordering a gruesome end for her.

She aimed her wand again, and felt hysterial laughter bubble up in her as she thought of an idiom that did not measure up to the turmoil she felt in the least. _In for a penny, in for a pound._

A curse was on her tongue, and she started to sweep her hand up in an arc to begin a period of inflicting indescribable pain.

"Lorov –"

"EXPELLIARMUS!" A voice screamed, and Hermione felt shock and immense relief as her wand went flying from her hand and into the air.

Her head snapped to the side to see Kingsley Shacklebolt aiming his wand at her. Antonin grabbed her and threw her behind himself before casting a shield over both of them. She watched as Rodolphus ran and rolled to the ground, grabbing her wand as Order members began to arrive on the scene, throwing spells at the Death Eaters. Rodolphus disapparated with a crack, and Hermione felt Antonin grab her arm before he did the same.

* * *

Hermione tumbled to the hard wooden floor of Lestrange Place and felt Antonin's knee drive itself hard into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She gasped for breath, curling into a ball as she clutched her stomach. Antonin then had his hand on her shoulder as he apologized.

She coughed as Rodolphus slid to the floor next to her, taking one of her hands to put her wand inside of it.

A moment later, a cackle of laughter sounded behind her, and she felt Roddy lean down to her ear. "Break later, Hera," he whispered. She felt the hand on her shoulder tighten for a minute before letting go. Rodolphus helped her to her feet, and Hermione stood with him. A moment later, Abraxas was at her side, and he nodded to Rodolphus.

Rodolphus walked across the room toward his wife, who was presently glaring daggers at Hera.

"Death Eaters, tomorrow, the papers will surely proclaim us to be a group to be _feared_ and _obeyed!_ Be pleased!" Voldemort seemed zealous and thrilled with the attack, and Hermione forced her face clear.

She looked around trying to take note of any absences. Unfortunately, everyone was accounted for as far as she could tell. The Death Eaters cheered, and she clapped from her position at Abraxas's side.

The Dark Lord looked around, seeming almost shark life with his teeth showing and his eyes dead. His purview of the room stopped at her.

"All of you, with the exception of Abraxas Malfoy and Hera Elias, are dismissed. Rodolphus and Bellatrix, I thank you for the room." There was muttering as everyone fled the room, and Hermione kept her head down.

Once the room was empty, the Dark Lord put up several privacy spells before walking toward them. "Miss Elias, I find myself to be most disappointed with your lack of… effort," Lord Voldemort hissed, circling the duo.

"I understand, my Lord," she said, quietly. She knew what she had potentially signed up for when she given the girl a quick death. Being unable to make up for it with the mother had sealed her fate of a horrible evening.

"Under ordinary circumstances, I would see fit to punish you. To your great advantage, however, I can appreciate that a very strong wizard is likely growing within you. Because I do not wish to weaken my potential forces, I will not be hurting you tonight," he said, quietly.

Hermione looked up at him in surprise, uneasiness spreading within her. She watched the Dark Lord turn his attention to Abraxas for a moment.

"Abraxas, my friend, I only need one small favor from you. I wish for you to immediately go to a muggle village and bring me two people. Now."

Abraxas, to his credit, didn't hesitate as he nodded and walked from the room. Hermione looked up at the Dark Lord, wondering what was soon to happen.

He smiled at her. "Hera, I believe part of your agreement to join me entailed teaching you new, rare magic. Today, we have the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Today, you will be getting over your… hesitation to cause pain, and I will teach you some useful spells in order to do that."

Hermione tried to hide the terror in her eyes as she looked at him. "I… we agreed that I did not have interest in… torture, my Lord," she said, desperate.

The Dark Lord sighed theatrically before nodding. "So I did. However, tonight, I ordered you to go against someone that defied me in front of the others. Your… disregard for my wishes… if it had been anyone else, I would have called it outright defiance. For you, I am sure it is just unease. We need to break you of that. That is… unless you would rather take your punishment. I should let you know that the Cruciatus curse is largely known to terminate pregnancies, and at the least cause massive deformities. The child you grow would feel the pain, too. The choice is yours, I suppose."

Hermione heard the door open and saw Abraxas leading two people into the room. He pushed them to the floor at the Dark Lord's feet.

They were an older couple, and Hermione estimated they were in their sixties. Judging by their attire, Hermione imagined they were a lot like what her own parents would have grown into, if she had had the chance to see it. Middle class and average in every way. They clutched at each other while they looked up at the three magical people in the room with confusion and no small amount of fear.

"Miss Elias, your decision? It is either you… or them," he said, sounding as if it was a decision between something as mundane as coffee or tea.

She looked at the Dark Lord, feeling her hands shake lightly. Aside from the risk to herself and her child, she had to think of the mission first. It was the same thing as the mother and daughter. Necessary. Necessary _evil_. She looked at Abraxas and saw that his face was as passive as he could make it.

Finally, she closed her eyes, looking to the ground. "Them," she whispered.

She heard the sound of the Dark Lord clapping his hands together. "Wonderful. Abraxas, you may leave. Hera won't be needing your assistance to get home it seems."

"Yes, my Lord," Abraxas said, turning sharply as he walked toward the door.

"Let's begin. You get the man, and I will get the woman. When I do a curse, you copy it. You have proven yourself to be a capable student, so this should be simple," the Dark Lord said, happily.

The door shut behind Abraxas as he walked toward the fireplace to floo home. Twin screams started before he reached it.

* * *

 _Destination, Determination, Deliberation. Destination, Determination, Deliberation. Destination, Determination, Deliberation._

Hermione walked by the Lestranges as she left the house, completely aware of Bellatrix's glare and Rodolphus's concern. She had no time for it at the moment. She had to get out of there before she truly lost it.

She could have potentially used the floo, but there were… parts within the hearth, and the idea of them coming home with her and hitting her as the fire took her away was a level of grotesque she hoped to keep out of her own residence at all costs.

No, she just needed to get out. She needed the time to walk down the driveway in order to get her mind on what she needed to do and not what she had just done. _Destination, Determination, Deliberation._

Right now, she was most determined to not lose the contents of her stomach. And she was deliberating what was most important the instant she got home: drinking herself into a stupor, taking a scalding hot shower, or gouging her eyes out with table knives.

The Dark Lord certainly was aware of spells that she had not even comprehended; what was worse was his ability to keep his victims alive despite the shock to their bodies, able to feel it for an inordinate amount of time.

Spell after spell they had cast on the old couple, and Hermione had not even noticed that eventually she had started to grow accustomed to the sound of their screams. It was only when she was cutting their faces off with her wand, toward the end, when the Dark Lord sensed her calming to her actions.

"Good, Hera… it is just an unfortunate thing. You must switch it off and allow it to become a routine action of no great personal consequence. We both know you are capable of inflicting pain for your honor, for vengeance, but you must become capable of not balking at it under any circumstances."

For the sake of her own sanity, she had decided he was right in that moment. She knew it was possible to wind up in the dark with no way out and only inhumanity to sustain her human skin. She also thought it quite possible to lose her mind completely if she let herself feel everything.

She hadn't known really what happened after that. The next thing she knew, the room was silent and one hand was on her shoulder as his other hand was lightly pushing her wand to the floor. "They are finished," he whispered in her ear.

The huskiness of his voice made the feelings return as she stiffened underneath his hand. She almost thought it _was_ possible he was attracted to her then, at the very least, he was highly aroused by what had just occurred. She had stared at the portions of the bodies that were still within her gaze, fighting to control the urge to fall to her knees and scream.

"I am willing to acknowledge, especially now, that you will not get joy from killing unless you deem it necessary. At the same time, I hope this has curbed your hesitance to cause pain when I ask it of you. If not, I am more than happy to walk you through more lessons. There are many things I can teach you, but this is a subject I am possibly more versed in than any other wizard alive. I am pleased to see you can follow direction and turn that off. I hope you will be able to find that switch easier in the future. I expect perfection from my students, and considering you are the only one I have… I will not be lax."

He had released her then and motioned to the door.

So, here she was, trying to get the images and thoughts out of her head. Giving herself the time to calm down enough to not splinch herself on the way home.

 _Destination, Determination, Deliberation._ CRACK!

She appeared at the ward line to her home and stumbled up the small brick walkway. She tripped on the stairs, grabbing the doorknob as she tumbled into the house. She paid no attention to the two men that jerked to their feet from the couch as she entered, walking right by them and into the kitchen. She flopped down into a chair at the table and aimed her wand at the cabinet above her refrigerator.

A trusted bottle of double malt flew to the table as she looked at the wand in her hand. Suddenly, she was grabbing her wand with both hands, bending the slightly pliable wand near its breaking point. _Fuck magic; it was disgusting._

"Expelliarmus!" A frantic voice called, and her wand flew from her hand across the room.

She barely glanced up at a shocked Lucius and Antonin as she, instead, grabbed the bottle and opened it, pouring the liquor into her mouth. She choked on the taste a bit but didn't stop, taking four heavy swallows before putting it down on the table. She knew that she should be concerned about the baby, but right now she was more concerned with retaining what possible sanity that she could.

She heard steps and saw that the men were taking cautious steps toward her. Something about them treating her as if they didn't know her, as if she might be some dangerous wounded animal, made her giggle.

Quickly, her giggle turned into manic laughter. Their faces grew even more concerned, and she teetered back dangerously in her chair, slapping her knees in hysteria.

The chair fell backward to the floor, and it was only the hard hit of her head on the floor that stopped her laughter. Aside from the pain, she momentarily compared the sound to that of the sounds of heads bashing into the stone walls, over and over.

Then, she was throwing up. Violently. Sobs wracking her body in her distress.

She felt Lucius's arms go around her, pulling her back against his front and rocking her. "FLOO MY FATHER!" Lucius yelled, and Hermione heard Antonin run from the room.

As she continued to vomit and cry and scream in the room, she heard Abraxas come in and start speaking to the men. She wasn't able to catch the words, but Antonin's response stood out.

"At least it was just two old muggles. Would have been way worse if it was someone she knew."

She didn't even realize she had done it until she was standing in front of him, with Lucius's wand in her hand pressed into Antonin's throat.

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!" she screamed at him.

Antonin looked terrified of her in that moment, and it only made her angrier. She cursed him, watching as she threw him through her kitchen door and into the back garden. She stared, watched as he got up and looked at her again before disappearing. She couldn't focus on the room or voices around her.

She felt Lucius take her hand and pry his wand out of it. He looked helplessly at his father. "What… what do I do?" he asked, voice strangled with tears.

Abraxas looked at them in silence for a moment before summoning the bottle and three glasses.  
"Let her have a drink, then knock her out and take her to bed. We can do nothing to help her right now except give her whatever comfort we can."

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you to each of you who have reviewed so far! I get so excited to wake up in the morning to read what you think. Honestly, I wish I could write happier stuff for you guys, but apparently my inner-self is incapable of writing anything that is starting to get too fluffy. Still, this is the worst of it for a bit. I haven't written anything graphic like this since writing this bit, and I have somewhere between 25-30K already done. Not to say it won't come back because... yea, I'm twisted.

Let me know your thoughts and thank you so much again for your encouragement and well wishes!


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter. I do not profit from playing with her creation._

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Twenty**

Hermione woke up the next morning to the feel of Lucius's bare chest pressed up against her back. One arm was supporting her neck while the other was draped protectively over her waist. For a moment, all felt right with the world. Then, it didn't.

She lightly moved his hand, trying not to wake him as she changed her position to sit on the edge of her bed. She rested her forearms against her knees, hunched over as she struggled to think what she needed to do today.

Her eyes caught sight of the Dark Mark, noticing that there was a smear of blood across the top of it. Numbly, she stared at it, unaware of her surroundings.

She was only startled out of her thoughts when Lucius was crouching down on the floor in front of her, wiping the blood off with a wet washcloth.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked quietly, as he tended to her arm.

She shook her head, with quick minuscule movements. "I don't think I'll ever want to talk about it, Lucius," she whispered back.

He nodded, looking very concerned. "Okay, love, but… you know you can change your mind…"

She changed the subject. "Have you heard from Antonin? Is he okay? I didn't mean to… he just…"

Lucius raised a hand to cut her off. "He's fine. Concerned and worried that you don't want to talk anymore. He owled when he got home last night, but… well, you were already pretty far gone at that point."

Hermione stood up from the bed, and Lucius rose, following her across the room. She grabbed a bit of parchment, staring at it for a moment before grabbing her quill. She had considered what would be the best way to talk to Antonin, but she was hesitant. It would possibly be a risk if it didn't go well. Finally, she decided to go for it.

 _Antonin,_

 _I am sorry for last night. I'll explain when we meet. Rather than me cooking, I think it would be better to meet for brunch instead. There is a muggle place I know of. It is called The Leaf Press near Picadilly Circus. Saturday morning at 10?_

 _Hera_

She opened her window and was pleased when her owl immediately flew to greet her. Giving the bird a treat from the jar on her desk, she attached the letter and sent the owl on her way.

She turned to see Lucius there, staring at her and standing awkwardly. She sighed. He seemed antsy and desperate to help in some way, and she knew it would hurt him for her to send him away. He needed to help. And she needed to get her mind off things.

She took the three steps toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Can you… can we… I don't want to think about it right now. Help me forget."

He looked puzzled until she stepped even closer to him, moving one of her hands down to the waistband of his boxers. "I need this, Lucius," she whispered.

He pressed his lips to hers desperately, and she could tell that it could possibly end up just as therapeutic for him as it would be for her. Pulling away, she grabbed his hand and led him toward the bed.

It was about as unromantic of an encounter as they had ever had together. Hermione and Lucius had both privately hoped that their first time making love after his return would be special. It was, however, healing.

While trying to live in the moment, strange thoughts and remembrances of the night before and her night with Roderick would come back to her. She'd freeze in her movements as tears came to her eyes, and Lucius would stop, gently kissing her face until she was ready to go again.

After they finished, Lucius pulled her to lie down on top of him, and she pressed the side of her face into his chest as she cried. Her arms gripped his biceps so roughly that he was sure they would bruise. He said nothing as he lightly stroked her back, trying to not allow his own emotions the chance to take hold. Gods, he had been such a fool to leave here. He had truly been an absolute idiot to realize that she had signed up for a life of fear and activities that would tear her to pieces. And, still, she was there with him, loving him.

He swore to himself that he would never, ever let her down like that again. He would be her safety.

* * *

The following Tuesday, Hermione was brushing her hair as she looked through her wardrobe when she felt Lucius come to stand behind her. "Good morning," he said, huskily.

She turned, watching as his gaze moved across her body, taking in the thin nightgown she wore. "No big ideas. I need to meet Antonin."

He sighed but nodded. "Are you sure that I can't come with you? And… are you sure this is how you want to talk him over?"

Hermione leaned up on her toes and gave her fiancée a kiss. "If you come with me, and he doesn't react as we want him to, he will be suspicious of you. Not to mention, he doesn't know that you know what he has been taking part in. He's more likely to open up to someone that has… done the same."

"And your plan?"

She reached up, stroking his cheek. "Sometimes we do have to rely on intuition. This is right, Lucius, I can feel it."

"If you are sure… Dinner here tonight?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, love. I'll be home after I am done. Enjoy the day with your parents, and please try to help your mom figure out wedding plans if she asks. She wants it to be suitable, and you are much more well versed in what is _suitable_ than I am."

He smirked, "Well… I do have impeccable taste. I chose you, after all."

She smiled, kissing him once more before stepping away and heading to the bedroom door. "Love you," she called as she headed out.

Moments later, she walked into the small café she had planned to meet Antonin at. She put her sopping wet umbrella in the stand by the door, grateful she had had the foresight to bring it. She glanced around but didn't see Antonin yet. She was early, of course. She looked around the room and caught the eye of a young waitress balancing a tray of coffees as she walked toward a large group in a corner.

The woman smiled politely and used her free hand to indicate a small table near the window. Hermione walked to the table and took a seat, waiting for the waitress to get to her.

A moment later, the young woman appeared next to the table with a notepad in hand. "Hello. I'm Amy. What can I get for you?"

Hermione looked at the woman in silence for a moment, relishing the sound of her voice. The girl had dark blonde curly hair that looked a bit like it had a life of its own, and Hermione could spy an extra pen tucked behind her ear. She was several inches taller than Hermione and not very curvy. Her whiskey colored eyes looked bright and intelligent, and Hermione could see clearly that they shared a nose and the same Cupid's bow lips.

The voice sounded exactly as Hermione remembered it.

 _Mum._

Of course, this was not her mother, yet. Though in five years, she would give birth to a Hermione Granger. This was Amy Holmes, a student at university that was desperately trying to work her way through dental school with however many hours she could possible take while earning money to pay for it by waitressing.

Next year, in 1975, a man would come in and drink his coffee while studying the same medical books that Amy had at her tiny flat, and they would strike up conversation. They would have their first date the very same day and be married in December of 1976.

Hermione remembered asking her mother to tell her of the story about how she and her father had met. And it had always started the same way. _"I had been working at a small café called The Leaf Press every Saturday morning for the past three years. One day, your father came in and ordered entirely too much espresso while studying for a test…"_

"Miss?" the young woman asked, causing Hermione to be pulled from her daydream. She smiled.

"Just a cup of Darjeeling, please, until my friend arrives," she said.

Her mother walked away, and Hermione watched as Antonin came in, shaking the rain off of himself. He looked as if he was about to reach for his wand for a moment before relaxing his hand and walking toward her.

He sat down across from her, using his hands to push his wet hair out of his eyes and tuck it behind his ears. "I'm wet," he said, in greeting.

She nodded, looking at him in amusement. Though he looked suitably muggle, he was completely drenched. His white shirt was clinging to him, and he looked very uncomfortable. She heard his shoes squeak underneath the table.

"Should have taken muggle studies. You would have learned about umbrellas," she deadpanned.

He looked unamused. "Thanks, Hera."

Hermione glanced over to see her mother walking toward them with the cup of tea and a towel. She put the cup of tea down before holding the towel out to Antonin. "Welcome. You looked like you could use this. You are soaked!" she said, voice friendly.

Antonin looked at the woman appraisingly before finally nodding. "Yes. Wind got my umbrella. I had to run the rest of the way here in the rain."

"Shame that! We have a few spares in the back that have been forgotten by customers. I'll get you one before you leave if you like," she responded.

Antonin nodded. "That would be nice. Thank you."

Amy smiled at them before pulling her notepad out of the apron on her waist.

"What can I get you?" she asked, pen poised to write.

"Tea is good for me. Although I will take a blueberry scone to go with it," Hermione said, looking up at her mother and trying to keep the emotion off of her face. She wanted to hug her or tell her she loved her, but that would only lead to either a restraining order or a very strange and unbelievable conversation.

"And for you, sir?"

Antonin picked up the small menu off of the table and glanced it over. "Hot chocolate with eggs over easy and toast," he said as he stared at it.

Amy smiled at them before walking off to get their order prepared, and Hermione turned her attention to Antonin. He was looking at her now, obviously trying to decide how to start.

Hermione decided to do it for him. "This conversation has been a long time coming, Antonin," she began. "Obviously, the night you came to my house to tell me about the potion, I had some things to deal with. I haven't forgotten what you said, though. So, let's talk."

Antonin looked at her in silence for several minutes, and he seemed to be measuring her up. Was he afraid that she would turn him in to the Dark Lord? Was he worried that she couldn't keep his secret? She was unsure, but she refused to give in and break before him.

Finally, he responded. "That night with… the man and his mother. I do not think I will ever forget how you looked at me then. Rodolphus, too. It was as if I was some kind of monster all of the sudden. Do you truly blame me for wanting him dead?"

Hermione smiled slightly, taking a sip of her tea. "I understand wanting him dead. I even understand not feeling much remorse at killing him. It would be a bit hypocritical of me, wouldn't it? After all, I did kill Roderick, gruesomely, and I knew him personally. I don't regret it and would do it again, but…"

Antonin raised an eyebrow as she went silent. "But?"

Hermione felt tears threaten to come to her eyes as she responded. "The other night when the Dark Lord kept me… with the muggles…"

"Yes?" he continued to prompt, seemingly interested in the conversation. They were interrupted as Amy returned, putting their food and Antonin's drink down in front of them. They nodded politely, and she left quickly.

"He said something that I found to be very true as the night went on. There is a part of yourself that… you can allow it to take over. You can turn off the part of yourself that protests against hurting people, against feeling grief or guilt or pain… it happened the other night. He had me do things to them that… I don't really want to mention. But, after a while, he told me that, and… for my own sanity, I did it. To protect myself, I turned it off, whatever that is. My humanity? My empathy? I turned it off so that I could do what I had to. I think Rodolphus and I were both concerned that night because… your eyes were dead, Antonin. As if you had no care for what you had done. There wasn't even vindication, just… animal. Do you understand?"

Antonin frowned as he considered her words before finally nodding. "Yes. I understand. I saw you do similar when you cursed Bellatrix and when you killed Roderick. But why is it okay for you and not for me?"

Hermione reached across the table and put her hand on top of her friend's. He looked her in the eyes, startled at the contact. "Antonin, I turned it back on. I allowed the pain and the guilt to come back in. With Roderick and Bellatrix it is still… less, more guilt at being so cruel than the actual death itself. I _regret_ the pain I've caused though. Do you?"

He seemed slightly angry at that. "That bastard murdered my mother," he said, voice low and gravelly. He went to pull his hand away, but Hermione held fast to it.

She nodded. "Yes. I have another question for you… have you been on any of the… expeditions with your father or the others?"

He was silent but nodded his head, stiffly.

"Do you regret it?"

He looked toward the door, as if planning his escape. "Antonin!" she called, insisting on an answer.

"I… regret it, but in the end they are just mug-"

Hermione slammed her other hand on the table, startling him into looking at her. She felt her anger threatening to take over her and forced herself to take several deep breaths before speaking again. She could sense other patrons and her mother looking at them for a moment before returning to their conversations.

"They are muggles, yes…" Hermione looked at her unknowing mother, talking to a table of three across the small café. "Look at her."

Antonin followed her gaze, and Hermione continued. "I've seen her for years… I've known her since before we even met, really, though I don't think she's really taken much notice of me. As far as I can tell, she's here every weekend. She's… lovely, really. She's in dental school, learning to heal teeth, and when she can she volunteers at an animal hospital. She takes the extra stuff that would get thrown out here and gives it to homeless shelters. She buys the remains of bolts of fabric and makes blankets for people living on the street in the winter. Once, at a grocery store, she paid for the cart of a woman and her kids in advance and even had the cashier give them extra money. All the while, she was her _own_ bills to pay, and she sacrificially cares about people she's never met. She plans, once a month, to open up her practice for people that can't afford to pay for what they need."

Antonin looked at her mother, and seemed slightly shocked. He then turned his gaze to her. "How do you know all that? Do you follow her around?"

Hermione shrugged, looking at the woman that would become her mother with pride. "No, but what little I've seen of her has proven her to be a compassionate and beautiful person, through and through. I like to think that, if I were a muggle, I'd be a bit like her."

Antonin snorted. "Well, you look a bit like her, I suppose."

Hermione looked down to hide her sad smile. Finally, she looked up. "Knowing what I've told you, and knowing it's only a glimpse of her as a person, can you name any number of witches and wizards that are better than her? More worthy of love and kindness?"

Antonin was silent before shaking his head.

Hermione nodded then. "Muggle men did something horrible… practically unforgiveable… to your mother. But for every muggle like that, I think there are many more that are more like her. The muggles that the Dark Lord made me… kill, they are just as worthy of love and kindness as anyone else that we know. You might not like them all, and you might be a fan of segregation. That's fine, as long as you can respect that not everyone feels that way. But to turn your wands on them in sport? To treat them worse than you would treat an animal? It's _wrong_ , Antonin. And there should be _guilt_ and _remorse_ when you hurt them."

Antonin looked at his untouched, plate. "Say I agree with you. We both know there is no getting out of what we have gotten ourselves into. Until he dies or we are stronger, we are bound to serve him. Wouldn't it be better to _turn it off_ and protect my sanity?"

Hermione chuckled at that. "As it's happening… it's necessary. Especially in our position of having little choice. But… you have to turn it back on."

"Why?" he asked, sounding slightly desperate to her ears.

She released his hand and took another sip of her tea as her other hand reached for her scone. "The pain of guilt at doing horrible things… it is not enjoyable, to say the least. But not feeling it? Turning it off entirely and making peace with it? Even getting to the point that you get a thrill from it like _He_ does… Do you want to deal with the pain or do you want to be _like Him?"_

Antonin looked up at her, slightly pale. "He's…" A look of disgust passed over his features, and Hermione nodded.

"We've been set up to lead a very dangerous and painful life, Antonin. I have no way to protect you from what is to happen and can only promise to help you wherever I can and to be your friend, but… I can't be friends with someone like him. I don't think he even is capable of understanding the word."

Antonin nodded. "So, you just… you just deal with it?"

Hermione chuckled, sounding slightly dark as she did so. "Antonin, you were a Ravenclaw and top of our year. I think we are both intelligent and highly logical people. I think we can both also agree that every problem _does_ have a permanent solution, if you are eager enough and willing to do what it takes to make it happen."

Antonin looked at her and the slightest of smiles passed over his lips. "You are a good friend, Hera," he said, quietly.

Hermione smiled at him before drinking down the rest of her tea. "Professor Flitwick and I had a very interesting conversation. Did you know he fought against Grindelwald's forces? Apparently, he was quite a sight to behold. And he… he is intimate with how we feel. I told him I had a friend that could possibly use his guidance. He'll be expecting your owl, Antonin..."

Hermione grabbed her scone from the plate and stood from the table. "Bill is on you. I bring the knowledge, not the pounds. We will talk later, right?"

He absently nodded in response.

Bending down, she kissed him on the cheek as he chuckled. "Keep the light on, Antonin." Then, without a backward glance, she walked to the door, only stopping to grab her umbrella from the stand. After that, she was gone.

Antonin sat there for a while longer, eating his breakfast as he thought over her words. Every problem had a solution, and she sounded more than willing to help him find it. Could it be possible that this life he was living was not his for the rest of his breaths? He dropped enough notes on the table to pay and then stood up, walking toward the door.

He was about to go back into the rain when a voice stopped him. "Sir?"

He turned around to see the pretty waitress walking toward him with an umbrella. "Here, use this. It's pouring out there."

He smiled lightly, taking it from her. "Are you sure, Miss…" He could, of course, cast an easy drying spell once he apparated away, but she didn't know that.

"Holmes, but… please, call me Amy. Just pass it on to someone else that needs it when you get a chance. Or, if you come through the neighborhood, you could bring it back here, Mister…." She looked up at him and then down, blushing pink.

Antonin looked at her, his smile widening in amusement. She did seem… lovely. "Antonin, please, call me Antonin."

She looked up, smiling gently. "Antonin," she whispered.

* * *

At the end of April, Hermione and Lucius were sitting on their couch in the family living room of Malfoy Manor. Cuddled into each other, Lucius whispered into her ear, "Are you sure you don't want to tell my mother the truth? You have nothing to be ashamed of, and she'd probably look on it more favorably if she didn't think I had gotten you pregnant out of wedlock."

Hermione glared as she shook her head. "No. I want this baby to have as few people as possible have anything to associate him with Nott, regardless of his genetic makeup. If this is going to be your baby, you claim it now."

Lucius nodded, squeezing her hand gently. "Of course, love. I just don't want you to feel that you have to hide it."

She rolled her eyes, "The whole point of tonight is about not hiding the pregnancy."

Lucius just sighed. Truthfully, he was fine with Hermione deciding how much Adeline needed to know. Abraxas had, apparently, agreed with his new best friend, stating that it would just upset Adeline without necessity. She would be the grandmother regardless, so why not let her be the grandmother from the beginning?

Hermione had also felt residual distance with Adeline. While she didn't think either harbored ill feelings for each other, she didn't want their relationship to be built back up by the pity Adeline would feel if she knew the truth.

They were joined a moment later as Lucius's parents walked in. "Are you both ready to eat?" Adeline asked in greeting.

Lucius helped Hermione to her feet, escorting her into the dining room with his parents.

They all took their usual seats, and started their meal.

"Lucius, dear, how is the job hunt going? I do hope you won't have to travel too far," Adeline said, happily.

Lucius took a sip of his wine before responding. "I believe it is going well, Mother. I've been called in by Gringotts for several interviews, and I have also been in contact with a private company in Dublin."

Abraxas tutted. "Ireland? That would keep you away, would it not?"

Lucius nodded. "Yes. I am hoping that Gringotts makes an offer, but I can't be sure of it yet. If they do, it would be contract work so that I can set my own hours and be at Hogwarts when not working. If they don't hire me, I will consider the joy in Ireland, but I will have to insist on a company portkey."

Hermione laughed lightly, "You hate portkeys!"

"Would you rather me be there at night or with you and the b…" his voice trailed off, and Hermione glared at him. Abraxas did for a moment as well. This was not the plan.

"Of course I would rather have you with me, Lucius," Hermione said, trying to continue on in the hopes that Adeline wouldn't notice the slip. Adeline, however, was eyeing Hermione's suspiciously full glass of champagne and near empty glass of water. Usually, it was the opposite, and she knew that the wine served tonight was one of her future daughter-in-law's favorites.

She then snapped her head up to her son, "Lucius… is there something you would like to tell me?"

Hermione, glaring at Lucius at this point, nodded at him.

He sighed, suspecting a night of absolutely no sex lay ahead for him. "Well, Mother, despite our best efforts or perhaps because of them-" He yelped as Hermione kicked him underneath the table, scowling. Abraxas looked highly amused.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Adeline, I know you would have preferred us to wait until after we got married, but… Lucius and I are expecting a baby."

Adeline's eyes widened at the confirmation, and she looked between the two for several moments before speaking. "Is this why you are getting married? Why everything is to happen so quickly?"

Hermione shook her head. "We believe it happened right around the time Lucius proposed. We planned to get married before we knew we were going to have a baby together. We want to be married. The timing… it is helpful that it be earlier, but we truly didn't see the sense in waiting." Hermione prided herself on her Slytherin ability to tell the truth while _not_ telling the truth. It had served her well time and time again.

Adeline looked down at her plate. "When is the baby due to arrive?"

"December twelfth," Hermione said, blushing. Lucius reached out, taking one of his hands in hers. In truth, it was December ninth, but it would not look suspicious if the baby was a little bit early.

"Mother, I know this isn't happening how you prefer, but it is happening. I, for one, am absolutely thrilled. Hera will be an amazing mother, and I am very eager to meet my child."

Adeline looked up, a hint of approval shining in her eyes as she looked at her only son. Finally, she nodded. "Well, it is a good thing that this is happening now rather than when Abraxas and I were young. Conceiving a child out of wedlock was much more of a taboo then. And, at least you planned to marry early. It is quite easy for people to conclude you were engaged first. I would have appreciated knowing earlier, though, most of my ideas for Hera's dress have been with a corset style bodice, and that just won't do."

Abraxas nodded as he raised his glass. "To the future heir of the Malfoy line," he intoned.

Adeline and Lucius lifted their wine glasses as Hermione joined them with her goblet of water.

* * *

Author's Note: I'm putting this up a day earlier than planned, mostly because I will be super busy tomorrow. My family will be spending a lot of time together in the coming weeks. For that reason, while I still have plenty written ahead, I am going to start putting myself on a 5K writing block before posting each chapter. I don't anticipate it messing with update times very much, but it will just depend on how much free time I get.

Thank you for your wonderful reviews and, of course, for reading this Also, thanks to the guest that pointed out that I wrote Hermione where I should have written Hera. That issue has been fixed. :)

Next chapter has different main characters for the most part, but I think you will all heartily approve.


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I own part of a house and many personal belongings as well as custody of my very own husband and two children. I think I would know if I owned the most successful book franchise of modern literature. JK Rowling knows.

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Twenty-one**

If anyone was looking for Hermione at the beginning of June, it had become a safe bet that she would be either in bed or in the bathroom. Morning sickness had started without warning a few weeks before. She had went to bed one night after a day of wedding planning and woken up to the immediate urge to empty her already less than full stomach.

Lucius, however, had been very supportive. He had climbed out of bed and taken the ribbon from his own hair to pull hers out of the way. Then, he had sat down on the floor behind her, rubbing her back.

Though still slightly nauseated, she eventually felt as if she was not going to throw up anytime soon. She had leaned back against him, sighing. "And so it begins," she said, sounding sour.

"And so it begins," he echoed. Every morning following, he made sure that a potion was near to her bed that at least would keep the food in her belly down. It didn't stop the extreme exhaustion and queasiness from lingering, though.

One afternoon, Hermione was working on preparing a syllabus for the following school year. While Albus had been happy to provide his own, Hermione wanted to change a few things.

She was looking over the sixth year coursework when the floo lit up and Lucius came out, a wide smile on his lips.

He walked over to her and sat down before kissing her firmly on the lips. "You'll be happy to hear that I secured a position with Gringott's today. Contract work, but they say that I should be kept busy. We no longer need to fear being destitute."

Hermione glared at him. "Destitute? Does my own career mean nothing to you?"

He frowned, "I was just teasing."

She huffed, throwing down the book she had been looking at as she stood up. "Teasing, sure. I think you actually do feel that way, though. Like I don't contribute. Just because my home is small, at least I paid for it myself! You don't even _have_ your own place, you… you… freeloader!"

She stormed upstairs and flopped down on her bed, glaring at the ceiling. Downstairs, Lucius remained on the couch, flummoxed.

After twenty minutes of staring into the fire, he heard her coming down the stairs again. She looked apologetic as she sat down next to him. "I… I don't know what is going on. I think I might be losing my mind. I just… I know you were teasing. I about ripped a student's head off today for naming his owl 'Vowel'. I… think I might be losing my mind."

Lucius looked at her, feeling his lips quirk. "My mother says that the more hormonal and angry a witch is when pregnant, the more powerful she and her children are. Father says she only uses it as an excuse to defend her own behavior, but… I'll consider it a testament to your strength, love."

She looked down like a kicked puppy, and Lucius chuckled, pulling her into him. "I am proud of what you have accomplished and built for yourself, and I wouldn't dream to mock you for it. I am sure you will be ready to move on closer to the baby's arrival, but for now… this suits us just fine, I think."

She pulled back. "Move? I… I hadn't even considered it. I can't move!"

He frowned, "What do you mean? Surely you want somewhere a bit larger for further expansion. With a bit more grass and space to run around…"

She stood up. "Lucius, I love you, and I am excited to marry you, but… I am needed here. Severus comes here for an escape, and I can't abandon him!"

Lucius nodded, "Of course, love. I know that. We can _keep_ this place, and he can floo over whenever he needs to. Hell, we can keep it with the expectation of Eileen coming to stay here if she gets up the courage to leave. I don't expect you to leave him behind."

Hermione shook her head. "It took him _months_ to get used to seeking me out here. Now he will have to expect to come here and then _floo_ to get to me? To intrude on a home we picked out specifically for our _happy little family?_ I can't do that to him! He would retreat back into himself!"

Lucius was silent as he considered her words. Finally, he nodded. "Okay. But we are getting someone in here to magically expand this place and make it a bit more kid friendly. If we are going to be living here until Severus graduates, we will need more room."

Truthfully, Hermione hadn't much considered living arrangements. Lucius had always seemed happy enough to be there with her. And the reality of a baby was still sinking in, despite her sickness. Now, though, seeing how easily he gave in to her and knowing that this was _not_ the house he imagined for himself… she felt a rush of love for him. She leaned into him, sighing in contentment as his hands came to wrap around her. "Times like these… I fall even more in love with you."

He squeezed tighter and kissed the top of her head.

* * *

Hermione was slightly surprised when Abraxas caused her wards to hum a week later. They were expected to see each other for dinner that night to celebrate Lucius's new employment and first successful job completed. If he was here early, and unannounced, it had to be important.

She allowed the wards to open for him and soon was opening the door as well. He walked in, nodding at her distractedly. "Hera," he greeted.

She nodded at him, sure the question was showing on her face. "Abraxas. Take a seat. What is going on?"

He followed her directive before looking at her nervously. "Before the last raid, the Dark Lord called me early to ask for a favor. He asked if, in the future, he could call on one of my house elves. Since he has become a somewhat… public figure… he does not see it as being particularly easy to go to the ministry and request a new elf for himself. He does not feel as if his three are expendable and asked for one of mine to help him with a life threatening task."

Hermione felt excitement and sickness war within her. What he was saying sounded eerily familiar. "Your elf…"

Abraxas nodded. "Yes. The Dark Lord used Spin a few nights ago. He returned last night looking a lot worse for wear and unable to speak. It was only today after ordering him to tell me what happened that I learned the truth."

"And that is…"

Abraxas looked at her, seeming to urge her patience. "Spin said the Dark Lord took him to a cliff overlooking the sea. He told Spin to attempt to get to a basin in the middle of a lake built inside the cliff and to get the locket from within. In order to get to it, Spin would have to drink a potion."

Hermione closed her eyes as her imagination ran away with her, filling in a very Kreacher-like elf in the place of Spin. "How is Spin now?"

Abraxas looked away. "He seems off. Agitated, unable to do thorough work. I think he is… addled. He wouldn't say what the potion would do, but he did say that he managed to get to the locket. He returned it to the basin after touching it and said it was evil. Potion materialized to cover it again."

Hermione nodded. "We need to go there. Both of us. It is one of the… horcruxes, and we need to take it… replace it with a replica."

Abraxas looked at her in surprise. "You can't do that! Spin said there were… bodies in the lake. Sounds like inferi. It is dangerous!"

"I can handle it, Abraxas. One of us will drink the potion, and the other will ward off the inferi. Perhaps we can even convince Spin to go back in with us and apparate us out."

"Lucius will do it with me," Abraxas said, forcefully.

Hermione glared. "Lucius is to be as uninvolved as possible, and you are well aware of my feelings about that. I can do it."

"Can and will are two different things. I will _not_ allow you to go there. I will not even tell you where it is! You will stay here, as safe as I can keep you and my grandchild!"

Hermione growled, angrily. "Fine… Edgar, then."

Abraxas was quiet for several moments as if considering Edgar. He nodded.

"But he will be fully briefed on what to expect. I won't have him drinking that potion without knowing what he is getting into."

Abraxas scoffed. "He already knows everything you have Seen regarding it, doesn't he? He has better clearance than I do. I'll be drinking the potion, Hera. I think I can handle it just as well as he can, and I want to be the one to get that damned locket out myself. Mr. Bones can hold off the inferi. The spell isn't difficult."

Hermione frowned, worried. She knew Abraxas could easily cast the spell to keep the inferi at bay. "I expect you to practice with him before you go. If he seems incapable of handling them, you will switch. Understood?"

Abraxas finally nodded. "It goes to Dumbledore when we finish?"

"Yes. He will keep it safe with the other until it's time."

Abraxas stood from his seat. "In that case, I need to cancel dinner. I'll have word passed on if we are successful, and I'll owl Dumbeldore now."

Hermione stood as well, walking him to the door. After swinging it wide, she wrapped her arms around the older man. "Thank you, Abraxas. Please… be safe."

* * *

Abraxas patiently browsed the books in Flourish and Blotts. He had owled Edgar an hour ago with instructions to quietly meet him at the bookstore at his earliest opportunity.

Fortunately, it was no strange sight to see Abraxas browsing the aisles of his favorite bookstore. A bibliophile at heart, his preferences in books were even known to the employees there.

He looked when a hand reached for a book a few away from where he was currently reaching. Edgar Bones grabbed a navy bound book and opened it up. "What's going on?" he asked quietly, pretending to scan the book's contents.

Abraxas continued to run his hands on the spines as he responded. "One is available. The cave. Are you familiar with the details?"

Edgar nodded unperceptively, "I know as much as Hera remembers from her vision. How do we get there?"

"My elf was taken there. He remembers the location, but we will be responsible for getting ourselves out."

"When do we go?"

"As soon as you feel ready. I am as prepared as I can be," Abraxas said. Truthfully, he was eager to get it done and over with. The longer they waited now that there was a chance would only give them more time to become nervous. Too much stress could cause mistakes, and in this situation mistakes could easily prove fatal.

"I'm ready," Edgar said, confidently. Finally, he would be able to do something to partially get back at the Dark Lord. He would be able to help kill him, or at least a small part of him. It helped that he was in on Hermione's secret. She had shared with him and Dumbledore a pensieve memory of what Harry had told her of the cave. He had already practiced how to keep Inferi away as well as how to work with his surroundings to help get them away without harm.

"Good. I'll call my elf, and he will take you. Then, I'll go outside to the apparition point, go home, and be taken from there. That way, it will appear as if I am home for the evening, at least."

"What if He calls you?" Edgar whispered.

"Then we move more quickly. I don't think that will be the case, though. He does not know that my elf made it out of the place alive, and I sent him an owl today thanking him for his trust in me and stating that I was pleased my elf could give his life for his use."

A young woman walked down the aisle, glancing Edgar over with appreciation. Abraxas snapped his fingers, watching as Spin appeared. He spoke at a normal tone, knowing that his voice carried. "Elf. I wish you to go to the library and see if we have this book already. If not, return immediately."

Spin nodded, his ears flapping. He looked half terrified. "Yes… yes, Master."

As the woman turned the corner at the end of the aisle and disappeared, Spin grabbed Edgar's hand and popped away with him. Abraxas waited just a minute before walking out of the shop and to the apparition point.

Upon his arrival to Malfoy Manor, Spin was already waiting for him. "Is… is you sure, Master?"

"Yes, Spin. Take me to Mister Bones."

A moment later, Abraxas and Spin materialized in a small cavern. The wall in front of them was blank and the mouth of the cave was just feet away. Edgar was against the wall, drenched. "The spray is coming in pretty quickly. Do you know how to get in?"

Edgar, of course, knew that the wall required blood, but it would be easier for Abraxas to come to the conclusion and propose it. Abraxas waved his wand over the wall and then pressed his hand to it. "A blood ward."

A quick slash of his wand over the opposite hand had blood pooling within his palm. He pressed it against the wall, smearing the blood. Moments later, the wall spread apart, much like the bricks of the Leaky Cauldron entrance to Diagon Alley. They moved quietly in as Edgar spoke. "Are you going to drink the potion or feed it to me?"

Abraxas frowned, "I'll be drinking it. As long as you believe yourself capable of dealing with the dead. They should be relatively new, so they will be strong. Less time to decompose, but… I think he is adding the disappeared to their ranks, so hopefully there will not be many yet. Do you have the decoy?"

Edgar nodded, more comfortable with fighting of Inferi than dealing with his present demons. He was able to deal with people in pain and was a fully certified healer. He could handle dealing with the effects of the potion on Abraxas easier than if it were reversed.

They walked down the passage, aware of the sound of the wall closing behind them when they were too far away to run quickly back to it. After a few hundred feet of walking by the light of their wands, they came to the water's edge.

Edgar reached into his pocket, pulling out very small model of a boat. He dropped it in the water's edge before pushing it out a bit. "Engorgio!" The boat grew to the size of a small speedboat, sturdy and capable of carrying them both.

"Is it sea-worthy?" Abraxas asked, looking at it skeptically.

Edgar smiled and nodded. "It is and always has been a boat. Just one I took weeks learning to shrink and enlarge with ease. It's been fine on the Black Lake and at the coast off of South Hampton. I've been working on it ever since Hera told me she had Seen a lake of the dead that would need to be crossed."

Abraxas nodded, pleased that his future daughter in law could be helpful even in her absence.

"Before we get in, you should know how to operate it. Just in case. The rotors at the back will spin and project it straight forward with Propulso. If you do need to steer and without using the wheel, shoot steady stream of light at either side to get it to turn in that direction. The longer you hold the light on it, the harder the turn. Understand?"

Abraxas nodded again, happy to hear that his companion had done his best to be prepared. "You do know how to kill Inferi?"

"Fire, yes," Edgar said, stating what would be obvious to anyone that had managed to pass Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Very well. If you would be agreeable, I can put a ward around the boat itself to make it impervious to fire. It would only hold up for ten minutes or so once the fire starts, but if things get too bad, it should be long enough to get us there and back, hopefully."

Edgar smiled. Having an expert at warding was a boon indeed. "That sounds very useful."

Abraxas walked toward the water and carefully balanced on the rock as he reached out his wand to touch the boat with one, then he started to chant. Finally, a gold light emitted from the boat, lighting it up slightly as it seemed to sparkle for a minute before going back to normal.

Abraxas pulled back, looking slightly tired. "The wards can sense the danger, and it was harder to cast as a result. If a place or object is under attack or in danger, it is always harder to ward. They are certainly down there."

The both levitated a large nearby rock to the edge of the boat to use as a step stool to climb in. Once situated, Abraxas spoke again. "If you are comfortable with operation, I would like to try to steer the boat on the way there. Get a handle for it."

Edgar nodded as he climbed in himself. "Propulso and we are off. I'll light the way for us."

As promised, Edgar used a spell that caused a lighthouse effect to issue from his wand. There, with little curve to their path, was the tiny island. Moments later, they were speeding through the water.

"I'll admit to never being on a boat this quick before," Abraxas said, appreciatively.

"Muggles. They can't apparate, but they can make things fast in other ways," Edgar said, looking ahead.

After a few minutes, they were docking on the island. Jumping off, they both approached the basin in the middle. The sickly green glow it emitted made the potion look nothing less than threatening, and Edgar looked at Abraxas. "Are you sure?"

The blonde man nodded, looking down into the potion. "I can see it down there, sparkling. I suppose we use this?" He lifted the small cup perched on the side and went to dip it in to get his first glass.

"Wait!" Edgar said. He aimed his wand at the boat and called out, "Accio thermos!" The thermos came flying, and Edgar caught it quickly. He then sighed, eyeing it and feeling that it wasn't as heavy as it should be. "I had hoped that it would stay filled, and we wouldn't have to disturb the lake at all."

Abraxas chuckled. "He was a Slytherin for a reason. He won't make it easy on us."

Edgar sighed before perking up and walking forward. He unscrewed the lid and dipped it inside, watching as it filled with noxious potion, carrying much more in volume than the tiny cup that was provided.

"Slytherins are clever… but often cocky," he said, smirking as he held out the container. "The quicker you get it down the quicker this is over with."

Abraxas nodded, taking the thermos from Edgar. "You know to leave me if you have to? At the same time, if you leave me without it being absolutely necessary, I will remain a ghost with the singular intent to torment you until the day you leave this plane to rot in hell."

Edgar chuckled lightly even as Abraxas frowned. "To his eventual demise," Abraxas said, then he tipped the thermos back.

He chugged down the first bottle, doing his best not to react to the bitter taste. Before it took effect, he was handing it to Edgar to refill. He was halfway through the second cup when it began. He fell to his knees, muttering to himself as he rocked. Edgar spelled open his mouth as he pushed the cup to it, forcing him to swallow.

As Edgar went to refill it again, Abraxas started crying. "I've wasted it… I… I could have saved her if I hadn't… Lucy, my sweet Lucy girl."

Edgar ran back to his side, helping him lie back on the ground and pouring more into his mouth. "It's okay, Abraxas… drink… drink, and she will be fine."

Abraxas started screaming then, coughing on the potion as he tried to resist. Still, Edgar helped him to swallow. He was relieved then that it was not Hera there with him, or even Lucius or Rodolphus… he knew them too well. It would have been harder to keep them going. He went to refill the cup as Abraxas thrashed on the silt, sounding as if he were being tortured.

As it filled one last time, he was pleased to see that the potion was shallow enough to reach in and touch the necklace. It was stuck there, though. Immobile until the last cup could be consumed. He returned to Abraxas, considering if it would work to knock him out and spell it into him. He suspected not and didn't want to risk things going from rough to catastrophic.

Painstakingly, the task was done. While Abraxas continued to yell, Edgar moved to the basin and reached in, grabbing the locket. He immediately felt the darkness of it and barely stopped himself from throwing it. Instead, he put the locket in the thermos and summoned the cap, encasing it within. He fished in his robes again, pulling out a cheap replica of the locket that Dumbledore had made for them. The headmaster had cast a number of dark spells on it to give it a similar, if still lesser, aura of evilness. Tossing it in the basin, he watched as it was covered up by the potion once more.

He ran to the edge of the water and dropped the thermos inside the boat before returning to Abraxas's side. The older man had stopped screaming and was currently trying to crawl to the water. "Not yet!" Edgar said. He levitated the body of the man and dropped him on board as well. Then, he climbed on, ignoring the pleas for water.

He took a deep breath as he grabbed a bucket. Steeling himself, he dipped it into the water, filling it and pulling it back on board. He had barely had time to give it to Abraxas before the water started to move as Inferi moved to the surface and toward their boat. "PROPULSO!" With the speed, Edgar was easily able to get them out of reach rather quickly. Back at the safer shore, Abraxas climbed a bit unsteadily to his feet and Edgar quickly grabbed the thermos and shoved it in his robes before helping Abraxas back onto dry land. Edgar shrunk the boat quickly and picked it up out of the water.

The sound of things splashing in the water toward them was growing steadily louder as Edgar started the journey down the path back to the cave, pulling Abraxas with him. They could see the inferi in rather shallow water then. There were hundreds, much more than he was expecting. He supposed the Dark Lord had to have been animating muggle corpses.

"Fucking madman," Edgar said, feeling his pulse racing. "Should we destroy them? Cast Fiendfyre and run? The idea that somewhere inside they remember what they once were… it's a sick kind of torture."

Abraxas shook his head, continuing toward the exit without stopping. "No. If we make it obvious we have been here, he will know. If he decides to just casually check on his own, it is best that it look undisturbed. After this is all over… we will come back, then." His voice was weak, and he was pale even by Malfoy standards, but Edgar could see that Abraxas was holding his own. Of course, he was of good health prior to being there. And, his logic was sound.

Edgar frowned but nodded, slashing open his hand with his wand as they got to the exit. He smeared the blood on it and they left, apparating to a rock that overlooked the cavern. They waited several minutes to see if the gate had shut, and when no Inferi fell into the sea they assumed that it had.

"Spin," Abraxas called, softly. The house elf appeared, looked surprised but relieved to see his master.

"You… you is alive!" it said, looking at them both with wide eyes.

"Yes, Spin. Take us home."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Thank you again for all of your reviews and continued reading. Family here is on cloud nine as the man of the house just got home after 9 months overseas. As a result, I haven't been writing as much, but I'm still doing pretty good. Expect another chapter in 5 or 6 days. Please review and tell me what you think!


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: The time has come, the writer said, to talk of many things: of ownership and contracts, of cash, prestige, and dreams. I don't own Harry Potter, but JK Rowling does.

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter 22**

The first time Hermione had seen the Dark Lord after the theft of his Horcrux, she was worried that he could read it on her face. That somehow he knew and any moment would begin a very slow torture. She also realized that this was unlikely. As far as the Dark Lord knew, the only Death Eater with any knowledge of the cave was Abraxas, and they had already seen each other. Abraxas had reported to Dumbledore that there seemed to be no suspicion, and the Horcrux was hidden with the Diadem in the headmaster's office.

Still, she had been nervous. It had been beneficial to have a good reason to get out of the Dark Lord's sight for a while, though. She had told the Dark Lord that she would be going home to build up her strength as she prepared herself for what would be an incredibly painful potioning.

Voldemort had only nodded, saying that he would excuse her absence as wedding planning, and he would see her on her wedding day.

Hermione had not expected to get an entire three weeks of peace, but she certainly had no intention to complain. She had hurried home, and that was where she presently was.

Lucius was settling in well at his new job and seemed to be enjoying it greatly. With his first paycheck, he had taken her to a very nice dinner in Diagon Alley. They had also used the opportunity to allow the knowledge of Hermione's pregnancy to creep out into the world. At school, she had kept her growing stomach concealed with specialized robes, but the truth had to come out at some point. With school having ended the week before, the excuse to hide the pregnancy was gone.

Concealing the baby from the world also had the added effect of them not being able to actually see it themselves. Lucius and Hermione were still struggling with the knowledge that the child currently inside of her had the DNA of Roderick Nott, and it was easiest to just not talk about it at all. Without the bump being visible, they could almost ignore it a lot of the time.

At dinner that night, though, Hermione had made a note to wear a dress that clung to her stomach flatteringly. She was obviously pregnant, and Lucius made a point to publicly dote on her. He even brushed her stomach with his hand as he helped her get seated at the restaurant.

As he had sat across from her, Hermione had smiled at him gently. "Just a few more weeks, Lucius," she said before grabbing the menu. He had nodded in response.

The Daily Prophet had, of course, written of them: _Hera Elias Pregnant Before Wedding Lucius Malfoy._ Fortunately, the Prophet had happily ran under the assumption that Lucius was the father. Abraxas and Adeline had made a statement to the press professing their "deep excitement at the upcoming birth of their first grandchild."

And so, on the morning of July 4th, all that was necessary was the preparing and use of a very useful but dangerous potion.

Hermione was looking at the jarred ingredients laid out on one of her counters in her lab, making sure everything was accounted for, when Lucius showed Severus in.

Severus had been rather mute about the whole thing, and Hermione suspected he was avoiding the subject so as not to upset her. He walked to the book and looked at the ingredient list again before going behind Hermione and double checking her inventory.

"It's all here," she said, looking at Severus. The boy nodded before going to inspect the cauldron for any foreign ingredients. Hermione glanced at Lucius who was standing near the door.

"What do you need from me?" he asked, quietly.

Hermione smiled and walked toward him, kissing him gently on the side of the mouth. "Nothing until the last hour of brewing. Make sure you are here at eight?"

Lucius nodded, "I'm not planning to leave the house or anything, but I am going to go upstairs. I'm going to make sure the elves have brought plenty of foods for the next few days and that the bed is ready for you. Probably rest a bit since I will be tending to you. I'll be back down here before eight, though."

Hermione reached up a hand, running it through his long blonde hair. "Thank you, my love," she said, quietly.

"Of course. Send your Patronus if you need me," he said, turning and leaving.

She turned back around to see Severus looking at her. "Are you ready to start?" he asked.

Hermione nodded, walking toward him. "Obviously, I have prepped everything that can be prepped ahead of time, but the rest will be on you. Put them on the table in the order to add in the amount to add, and I'll take care of the timing. You are prepared to stir for the longer periods?"

"Yes. I…. do you have somewhere to rest?"

Hermione flicked her wand at the corner and Severus watched as a chair turned into a cot, the book that had been on top of it still on top of the cot. "You are disgustingly good at waving your wand around," he said, trying to joke.

Hermione chuckled lightly before nodding. "Let's get to it, then."

The next ten hours were passed in a flurry of motion. Hermione made sure to double check everything Severus was doing before adding it to the potion, though it hadn't been necessary. There were several periods where nothing was added but the potion had to be stirred in varying motions for varying intervals. During these times, Hermione would try to rest and get sleep, knowing that her night would be highly unpleasant and staying awake was completely necessary.

At a quarter to eight, Lucius entered. Severus nodded at him as he continued to stir the potion. "She's asleep, but it's about time to wake her," he said, quietly. His hair was lank from sweat, and his eyes were bloodshot. With the heat and the fumes combined with eleven hours of constant focus, it was understandable that he was worn out.

Lucius nodded, walking to the cot at the back of the room. "Hera," he said, sitting on the edge of it. Hermione jerked slightly as she woke up before slowing lifting herself up to look at him.

"Is it time?" she asked, voice rough with sleep.

"Just about. If it's okay, I'll take to stirring after we add the blood. Severus looks tired."

"I'm not going home tonight," Severus called from across the room.

"I wouldn't ask you to, Sev," Hermione called back. Then, she leaned into Lucius and whispered, "When we go into our room, silence it. I don't want him hearing anything tonight, understand?"

Lucius nodded, "Already done. I anticipated him being unwilling to leave you. I put a sleeping potion next to his bed, too."

They got up from the cot and walked over to the table Severus was brewing at. Peering down inside, Hermione was pleased to see that it was the expected lavender color. "It looks perfect, Severus. Thank you."

Severus nodded, "And the blood? Lucius?"

Hermione reached for the table with her ingredients and grabbed the small knife and bowl she had set to the side.

"You have to do it yourself," she said, handing over the knife. "It has to be freely given."

Lucius took the knife and, without hesitation, sliced his palm open. He then made a fist and turned it to the side, allowing blood to fall into the bowl freely.

After a moment, Hermione turned his hand and used her wand to heal the wound. Then, she took a small dropper and filled it with the pure blood. Severus stepped back from the cauldron, and Hermione poised the dropper over the top.

Lucius's voice stopped her. "Wait…." Hermione didn't drop the blood in but kept her hand as it was. "Are you… are you sure? I mean… I will love you no matter what, and I will… I can make an effort to… he can be my kid anyway."

Hermione smiled at him, and nodded. "This is for all three of us, Lucius. I am sure. It is worth it." Then, she started press the bulb. With each drop, the blood skimmed outward over the potion, like oil settling on top of hot water, before seeping in. As it sank and dispersed, the lavender turned darker and darker. After eight drops, Hermione removed the dropper, and Severus handed her small piece of coal. Hermione dropped it in before handing the appropriate stirring rod to Lucius. Then she set a magical timer on the wall. "Thirty minutes clockwise, Lucius," she said.

Severus looked as if he would protest, but Hermione raised a hand. "Severus and I are going on upstairs. After the time is up, fill one standard vial and just turn off the heat. The cauldron can't be used again after this one. Magical blood permeates iron."

"Any other indicators?" Lucius asked, already stirring.

"It should smell like lemons. We will be in our rooms. Summon us if needed."

Hermione grabbed Severus by the arm and walked with him up the two flights of stairs to the bedrooms. She stopped outside of his. "Thank you, Sev, for… well, for all of this. You did perfectly, and I know I couldn't have chosen someone that could have done better."

Severus looked down at his feet. "Don't you want me to… be there?"

Hermione wrapped her arms around the boy and pulled him to her. "It's going to be horrible, but Lucius will be with me. And Edgar will be coming by, too, I believe. What I need is to know that you won't have to see me hurting like that, Sev. I promise if there was something that you could do for me, I would not hesitate to have you there. But you have done enough… you are one of the few people I have trusted this to, and I want you to rest now. After I fall asleep, I'll have Lucius open our door to you, and you can come in to check on me. That won't be until sunrise, though."

Severus shook his head against her neck. "I won't be able to sleep knowing you are hurting."

She squeezed him tighter, "Lucius put a sleeping draught next to your bed. I want you to take it. I might need your help recuperating tomorrow, and we will both need some rest. Okay?"

Severus pulled back and looked at her seriously for a minute before nodding. "Okay," he whispered.

Hermione smiled at him. "Goodnight, Severus. I love you."

* * *

Hermione was trying to sleep, but it was quite elusive when she knew what would be happening soon. This was certainly a potion that a witch did not trifle with, and Hermione understood why it was so rare and considered so incredibly dark.

She felt a delicate pulse against her stomach and put her hand on top of where it had come from. So far, she hadn't experienced any kicks that were strong enough to be felt from the outside, but she knew that it was just a matter of time.

She smiled, rubbing her hand over it. "By the time Lucius feels you, little one, you will be his in every sense of the word."

She felt the flutter again, and thought perhaps she could also feel it on her hand. She couldn't be sure.

She was distracted from her thoughts when the door opened and Lucius walked in, carrying a vile of black potion. It had no discernible sheen at all, and it seemed so black that Hermione wondered if it reflected light at all. She sat up in bed, and looked at her fiancée.

"You know what to expect?"

Lucius took a deep breath, sitting next to her. "Yes, as much as I can from the book anyway. We've practiced enough now that I am reasonable confident I can keep you awake."

Hermione nodded. "Yes. You are magically prepared. But, Lucius, if it gets to be too much… call Edgar. He would be more than willing to help."

Lucius looked at her and frowned, "I already called him. He's keeping his fire lit to floo over quickly if needed, and he will come in the morning to check in on you either way."

"Your father?" she asked, quietly.

"I told him I would owl in the morning. Mother still doesn't have a clue," Lucius said.

Hermione nodded. It had been her decision to try to keep the full truth from reaching Adeline. It really served no positive purpose, and she didn't want another person to look at her differently. Adeline had been told that both of the Notts were dead but spared any details. The majority of the Order had been told the same: both men had disappointed the Dark Lord and were dead because of it.

"Again… are you sure, Hera?" Lucius said, quietly, looking at her nervously.

"Hand me the vial, love," she said, holding her hand out toward it.

He put it in her hand hesitantly and to prevent any further questions or her own hesitation, Hermione tipped it back, swallowing it all down in one.

A moment later, it began. A gentle pulsing in her stomach that she couldn't identify. Was it the potion itself or the baby? The pulsing grew steadily stronger, though, and Hermione hunched over herself, gripping her stomach.

"Oh gods," she said, praying to whatever Gods were listening that it was not the baby. That the baby was not thrashing in pain within her. She knew it could not all be the baby, at least, as she had barely been able to feel the fluttering kicks earlier. Even if distressed, it would not be anywhere near as bad.

She felt Lucius help her to lie down on her side, and it was just in time, too. Her body began to seize.

Words left her as she jerked on the bed. She felt hold and cold at the same time, and her stomach was clenching, squeezing. She felt as if her organs were being squeezed with an iron fist. She looked at the clock. 3 minutes. Only another nine or ten hours to go.

Once she stopped convulsing completely, Lucius held a bottle to her lips and squirted some water into her mouth. She shook her head as she coughed it up, unable to swallow a drop.

Lucius took the opportunity to pick her up and carry her into the bathroom. The tub was already full of warm water, and he immediately spelled off their clothes, climbing in with her. He settled her down between his legs, pulling her head against his bare chest.

As she cried and screamed and moaned, he fought to stay calm. He brushed his hands over her stomach, humming into her ear despite his tears.

They stayed there until the water had long been cold, the temperature had them both chattering, but it had helped to keep her awake after his humming had stopped working. She had done so well at staying awake so far, but he could tell that she was getting tired of fighting the compulsion to sleep. At the end of another seizure, he got them back out of the tub and wrapped her in a warm bathrobe, carrying her back to bed.

Thankful for the silencing charm, he quickly turned on the record player, listening as some of the more uptempo Led Zeppelin started to blare at a decibel that was likely to anger the neighbors if they could hear it.

Whenever she would stop thrashing, he'd grab her hands, as he sat next to her, pretending to dance with her even as they sat on the bed. Eventually, keeping her moving started to fail, and Lucius started to panic. She was getting more and more tired and even the spell that he had been taught to rejuvenate her wasn't doing much. In his fear, he cast his patronus, watching as the swan swam quickly out of the room toward Edgar Bones.

About five minutes later, Edgar stormed into the room, watching as Lucius literally shook Hermione to keep her awake, but he seemed to be failing. "I need help!" he screamed, looking at Edgar with unadulterated fear in his eyes.

Edgar dropped his bag on the side of the bed and grabbed Lucius. "Go out, Lucius. Go out into the hall. It's almost over. Ten minutes until sunrise."

Lucius looked as if he would protest but Edgar screamed, "GO!" Lucius went.

As the door shut behind Lucius, Edgar looked at Hermione as he opened his bag. "Last resort as discussed, love. I'm sorry… I'll heal you in the morning."

He pulled out several rods and a metal tray, putting them on the nightstand. Quickly, he cast a spell to rapidly heat the tips. The rods each had rounded disc like ends about two inches in diameter. Edgar took a deep breath, trying to summon his healer mode. He took Hermione's foot firmly in one hand and grabbed the rod with the other. Without allowing himself the chance to delay, he pressed the bright red iron against her calf.

She screamed loudly, eyes popping wide in shock, and Edgar felt relief at the rush of adrenalin. It was a delicate balance, after all. Too much could knock her unconscious and without enough she could fall asleep. He heard the door start to open and grabbed his wand, slamming and locking the door.

He picked up the next rod and pressed it further up, on the delicate skin behind one of her knees. She screamed again, but it sounded a bit more groan like. Good.

The third was placed just above the last, and she tried to jerk away from him. The room was getting progressively lighter, and he knew just a few more minutes were needed. She truly started to lose consciousness with the fourth, and he knew he would have to make it worse.

He moved the bathrobe, unconcerned with her nakedness as he pressed the fifth and final rod into her inner thigh. She screamed again, and suddenly went quite still. Sound left her, and Edgar's eyes widened as he rolled her to face him. "No!" he yelled, shaking her to keep her awake. He looked up into her eyes and watched as slowly she started to cry tears from her still open eyes.

A cry of relief escaped him as he watched black tears run down her cheeks. The steady stream was disconcerting to say the least, and he looked down to see the same black substance creeping down her legs, over the wound that he had just inflicted. Gently, he pulled her robe back where it should be, covering her nakedness.

After another few moments, it stopped, and with a sigh, Hermione's eyes slipped to a close. He looked at the clock on the bedside table and sighed himself.

He turned slightly with his wand, swishing it to open the door. Lucius stormed in and to the bed, dropping down to his knees as close to her head as he could get on the floor. "Is she?" he asked, making a note of the black fluid on her face.

"I'm checking," Edgar said, waving his wand over her chest.

"Hera's heartrate is good. She's asleep… she made it," he whispered after a moment.

Lucius sobbed in relief, putting his face in his hands. Edgar continued his wand down, checking the baby.

"The baby is stable, but a bit smaller than it was last time I checked her. That… that is a good indicator that the baby has… changed. Heartrate is good, and she is moving around a bit. She seems to be fine as well."

Lucius looked up at Edgar, "She? It's a…" The look on his face made it obvious that an apology for spilling the beans was not necessary. Edgar nodded, smiling lightly. "It's your daughter, Lucius."

Lucius rubbed at his face, wiping the tears from his cheeks as he looked at Hermione with an expression that Edgar was sure he had never seen on the other man's face before.

"I would clean her up, but I think she'd prefer you to do it?"

Lucius nodded, quickly, and Edgar smiled. "Warm water to get off the… substance. It's nothing unsanitary, just unnecessary potion that was siphoned out. Still, just like the cauldron, it will permeate what is used to clean it off, so burn the rags when you are done. Her face and her thighs…."

Edgar stood from the bed, grabbing the rods and cooling them all before putting them back in the bag. "I had to inflict a bit of pain to keep her awake. She would have… be gentle around them. I'll come back in a few hours to heal them and check her again. Is there anything else you need?"

Lucius shook his head, taking Edgar's place on the bed.

"Right then. I'll be back by nine or ten. She will probably just sleep, let her. If she does wake up, use a half dose of pain potion." Edgar stepped back, touching a hand to Lucius's shoulder. "Congratulations, mate. You'll be a good dad."

Lucius choked out a sob as he nodded his head in recognition, his gaze still on Hermione's face. "Thank you… thank you for this, Edgar. For everything, really. You are… you are an invaluable friend."

Edgar said nothing but smiled at Lucius's back before leaving the room.

Lucius stood up and walked quickly to the bathroom, pouring warm water into a pitcher he'd left there and grabbing a rag. Then, he walked out to his fiancée and vanished the robe she was wearing. He didn't hesitate to clean the potion's remnants from her skin, tenderly cleansing her of the dark liquid.

After he was done, he vanished his own clothes save his boxers and climbed onto the bed. With a spell, the duvet came to cover them. Curling up on his side behind Hermione, he put a hand on her stomach as he pressed his face into her curly hair and breathed. "Our daughter," he whispered, caressing the growing bump with every bit of love he had to give.

* * *

Hermione blinked her eyes against the sunlight streaming into the bedroom. Someone was calling her name, but her head was hurting, and she just wanted silence.

She felt someone gently caress her shoulder and finally turned her head to see Lucius seated on the bed behind her. "Hera?"

She winced but nodded. "Headache," she said in response.

A movement out of the corner of her eye had Hermione glancing to the side of her bed. Edgar was there, holding out what appeared to be a pain relief potion. She swallowed it quickly and sighed a moment later as most of the pain left her skull.

Her body felt slightly achy, and when she shifted on the bed, she winced. Pulling her leg from beneath the covers she looked at the burn mark on her leg. "That bad?" she asked, quietly, looking from Edgar to Lucius.

Edgar looked apologetic as he nodded. "Yes. It was close. I thought we were going to lose you at the very end, but you pulled through."

"Of course she did," Lucius said, taking one of her hands in his. She smiled lightly at him before looking down at her stomach.

"And… did it work?"

Edgar smiled then, and she felt Lucius squeeze her hand. "Yes, it seems to have been a success. Everything happened as expected really, and the baby is about four ounces lighter and half an inch less in length."

Hermione sighed in relief, gently stroking her stomach with her free hand. "So, what now?"

"As you have read, you will need to stay in bed today. You'll be a bit fatigued for a few days, but you should bounce back pretty quickly. Pain potions should be used sparingly and diluted a third. I am going to go ahead and heal the burns now, though, so they won't be bothering you."

He proceeded to move the covers around to expose her body, applying a spell and burn paste to each. As he worked, Hermione looked at Lucius with concern. "Are you okay, Lucius?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Only you would be asking another person how _they_ are feeling after last night… It was scary to see you like that. Edgar sent me out at the end, which was probably for the best. But I am… I'm happy. I meant it when I offered to just do my best either way, but it is different when I know that it is… that's our daughter in there."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Daughter?"

Lucius smiled widely, nodding. "Daughter. I always imagined having boys because Malfoys generally do have boys, but… it makes it even more special, doesn't it?"

Hermione nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder. "It will be perfect," she whispered. A daughter that looked like a combination of her and Lucius would be even more different from Roderick than she had imagined. A girl was exactly what she needed right now, though she liked the idea of having more children with Lucius in the future.

A knock on the door sounded somewhat frantic, and Lucius chuckled. "Severus has been knocking on the door every thirty minutes since the sun came up. He's been eager for you to wake up, and I think he's getting a bit nervous."

Hermione smiled, "He can come in."

Edgar crossed the room for them and opened the door. Severus strode in quickly and looked a bit surprised to see Hermione awake before sitting himself abruptly on the side of her bed.

Edgar's voice floated over from the door. "Okay, I need to get to the hospital. I'll check in tomorrow morning unless you owl to tell me you feel anything strange. I think everything is under control now, though."

Lucius nodded, "Thank you, Edgar… really, thank you."

Hermione looked at the teenager on her bed with a fond smile. "Severus… good morning."

"How do you feel?" he asked, eyeing her as if he could x-ray scan her body with his eyes alone.

"Tired and a bit achy, but I have been much worse before. Edgar said everything happened as it should have," she replied.

Severus sighed in relief, and she could practically see the stress start to leave him. Lucius took note of it, squeezing her hand. "I'll go get us some breakfast in bed. I'll be back in a few. Severus will be joining us, of course?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes."

After Lucius had shut the door behind him, Hermione spoke again. "I told you it would be okay, Severus. Trust me. I wouldn't lie to you."

Severus nodded, looking toward the window for a moment as he thought. "I… I do trust you. I think that is why it is so hard for me. Mum lies. Tells me things are okay when they aren't, and I understand why but it is still a lie. Thank you for… I know I can trust you. And rely on you."

She shrugged, "You are my family, Sev." She sat up more in the bed and grabbed him, pulling him into a hug. "I hope you know how much you mean to me, Sev. I might not tell you everything, but what I do keep from you is not for the sake of keeping things from you. Some secrets _are necessary_ for me, but know that it isn't because I don't think you could handle it. You are smart, strong, and very brave. I am very proud to have you at my side."

Severus looked down at her rounded belly, "Can you feel the baby… I mean, does he kick yet?"

Hermione smiled. "It's a girl. I have felt it, but I don't know if others would be able to."

Severus's eyes had widened a bit at hearing that the baby was a girl, and Hermione felt her fondness for him grow. At that same moment, she felt a slight kick in her abdomen. "She's actually just kicked. Do you want to try to feel her?"

Severus looked conflicted at the thought, almost as if something would go wrong if did it. At the same time, the excitement in his eyes was undeniable. Hermione grabbed his hand and put it on her stomach, holding it down firmly where the baby had last kicked.

A moment later, Severus started to pull his hand away. And then, the slightest kick. He gasped, pressing his hand even more firmly against the thin cotton robe Hermione was wearing. "Is that her?"

Hermione smiled fully, nodding. "Yes," she whispered. "Don't tell Lucius! He'll be annoyed if he knows you felt it first."

Severus finally pulled his hand away, looking both a bit thrilled and pleased to be the first and guilty for it. "Our secret!" she urged, and he nodded, looking even more pleased.

"You know that I am going to need your help with her, right?"

Severus's eyes widened as he shook his head. "What do you mean? Like… taking care of her?"

Hermione chuckled and nodded. "If you are up for it, yes. We will be at Hogwarts when she is born, but… I imagine we will come back here for Christmas break a few weeks later. As she grows, I imagine you'll be something of an uncle to her, right? You can watch her while I go and wrap Christmas presents or rock her while I get a nap."

Severus looked even more surprised. "You would… you would trust me to do that? I don't think I've ever even… I've never even been close to a baby before. I have no clue what to do!"

Hermione laughed. "I don't have much experience myself, and Lucius doesn't either. We are all pretty smart, though… we can figure it out. Sooooo, are you okay being Uncle Sev?"

He was quiet for several moments before eventually nodding, looking serious. "I'll do my very best for her."

Hermione smiled, happy to have something else to give to her friend, a man that had known so little love and trust in a life she had left behind. "I don't doubt it. She's going to absolutely adore you."

* * *

Author's Note: Thank for all of the well wishes and, as always, for faithfully reading and reviewing! I hope you all liked the last chapter and enjoy this one as well!

Just a note to those who have mentioned it in reviews: **Ravenclaw's Diadem** has already been acquired. Considering it was not under any particularly dangerous enchantments and more hidden than anything (in a location Hermione knew about), she already scooped it up in Chapter 12 of BBLS. Dumbledore has hidden it in a compartment magically protected behind Fawkes's cage in his office. It has recently been joined by a rather nasty locket.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I wished on a star last night, but I woke up with no more accolades or money than I had before… JK Rowling owns Harry Potter.

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Twenty-three**

The next two weeks passed in a blur. Though Adeline had done a good amount of the planning for the wedding, she had left every possible detail that would wait until the last minute for Hermione to be ready.

While she hadn't known the reason Hermione wouldn't seriously plan until two weeks before, she had accepted it when Abraxas had recommended that she drop the subject.

Hermione, as a result, was spending a lot of her time doing things like tasting food that would be served at the reception and working with the seating chart.

The seating chart was complicated, of course. The staff of Hogwarts was all planning on attending, of course, as well as all of the friends with whom she had graduated. A lot of Lucius's contacts from his apprenticeship and a few of his employers at Gringotts were also attending. Fortunately, it was easy to shove all of Lucius's guests together at a table considering the curse breakers were likely to get along with the goblins anyway.

The downside, of course, was the inclusion of most of the more significant Death Eaters. The Black family would be attending in full, even though Bellatrix was the only one that was particularly active. Cygnus had taken a few steps back upon realizing that the Dark Lord obviously favored Hera and would allow her to treat him as she pleased. Orion would be bringing his family as well. The Dolohovs, Lestranges, Parkinsons, Goyles and Crabbes would all be there.

Hermione knew, of course, that most would not care much to come, but they had to make an appearance. If Voldemort planned to attend, they had to expect that any avoidance of the event would be seen as disrespectful to the witch who was, essentially, his second in command.

One of the largest conflicts, though, was the inevitability of Dumbledore seeing Voldemort. Sworn enemies, Hermione had never known either of them to stand in a room without dueling. Of course, for now, Voldemort didn't know that Dumbledore was heading a group that was fighting against him. She hoped that his lack of knowledge would make all of the difference.

Severus was also coming, and Hermione had had a hard time deciding where to seat him. Officially, he was just one of her neighbors and students and was attending in his mother's absence. It would look strange for him to be seated with the Malfoy family, where he would have been most comfortable.

Finally, she had decided to put the Lestrange parents at the same table as Orion Black. There, Severus would be with a few friends. She had sat the boy down and warned him that the adults might not be particularly kind, but expected that if he got them speaking on his house or academia, it might not be too bad.

It was after a long day, the day before the wedding, that she could finally relax. Her feet were propped up on the couch next to her as she looked over the latest Arithmancy journal. The wards tingled slightly, and she smiled as Lucius walked in the front door.

"Good day?" he asked. He lifted her feet and sat down before replacing them on his lap.

She nodded. "I suppose. Everything is done, at least. I thought your mother was insisting that you stay at the Manor tonight…"

Lucius nodded, rolling his eyes. "Yes, but I had an errand of my own today, and I had to finish it first."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Get it taken care of?"

"I did," Lucius said, reaching a hand into his pocket. "So, we have done everything out of order, it seems. This is, equally, out of order. I wanted us to have it before tomorrow. I know they aren't very widely used amongst wizards, but… well, I like the idea, and the vault had several hundreds of options."

"What?" Hermione said, confused by his rambling.

Lucius pulled out a rather large box and opened it, holding it out for her to see. Inside were two rings. Both were two-toned, made up of both platinum and yellow gold. Lucius's was just a thick band with the gold on the inside and platinum bordering either side of it. Hermione's was a bit more elaborate. Hers was gold on the outside border and hollow on the inside save a twisting platinum vine with small diamonds strategically placed.

She looked wide eyed at it. To be honest, she hadn't really expected a wedding ring. As he had stated, they weren't widely used in magical society as the bonding would leave its own mark. Adeline and Abraxas both wore them, but they had not been attached to their wedding or engagement- just rings they had bought for one another on a vacation once. It was undeniably beautiful, though, and she knew he was partially doing it to honor her muggle roots. "Oh, Lucius… it's beautiful," she whispered.

Lucius reached in and plucked both rings from the box. He handed the mens' band to her and held out his left hand. "Well?"

She chuckled lightly, taking his hand and sliding the ring onto his finger. Smiling, she then held out her own left hand. Lucius took it reverently, kissing her hand before sliding the ring where it belonged. With a slight warming sensation, she felt it tighten to fit snugly.

"I know that usually it is attached to some kind of… proposal, but that was kind of spur of the moment for us."

Hermione reached forward, grabbing him into a kiss. As she pulled away, she responded, "I know we can't tonight, but… you will be very happy you did this tomorrow.

* * *

The day of the wedding was rainy and rather chilly considering it was in July. Abraxas had rented out the ballroom of a wizarding resort on the coast, and they had planned to have the wedding outdoors. Plans had to be changed at the last minute, though, and the staff was scrambling to get the altar set up inside another smaller ballroom with floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking the cliffs.

Adeline had initially been spending her morning helping Hermione get ready, and she had just about succeeded. Hermione was sitting in a chair, already dressed as lipstick was applied, when someone knocked at the door.

"Come in!" Adeline called.

The door opened, and Abraxas leaned his head in. "One of the event planners was on her way back here, but I told her I'd pass on the message. They want your opinion on what kind of bows are to be tied along the aisle."

Adeline huffed, putting her hands on her hips. "Why did I even hire planners?! What kind of event planner doesn't even know what kind of bows to put at the ends of the aisles! For all I know, they are putting up _yellow_."

Abraxas and Hermione met eyes, both trying to hide their smirks of amusement. Adeline had seemingly turned into a bit of a dictator surrounding the wedding. "You should go check. It looks like Hera is about ready, yes?"

Adeline turned to Hermione, looking her over. "Hmm, yes. More mascara on the corners dear. I'm going to go manage the aisles before they start seating people. I assume you can manage that and your veil?"

"Yes, Adeline. Thank you for all of your help. We will see you in a few minutes."

Adeline quickly left, muttering under her breath as she stormed away in her dangerously high feels. Abraxas's eyes followed his wife until the door closed behind her. Then, he stepped further in.

"Are you ready?" he asked, meeting Hermione's eyes.

She smiled and stood up. "Yes, I believe so."

"Good. I just wanted to come and give my blessing, so to speak."

Hermione smirked, walking toward him. "So you approve of me marrying your son?"

Abraxas rolled his eyes. "Don't fish for compliments. In a matter of minutes you will be a Malfoy. Pandering is unbecoming."

Hermione chuckled, grabbing her veil off of the vanity. She went to put it in her hair, but Abraxas plucked it from her grasp. "It is such a shame that your father was foolish enough to choose to miss this. You make a beautiful bride, and you are a credit to all who know you."

Hermione felt her eyes mist up but pushed it away. "Apparently, I do not need to fish for compliments."

"It needed to be said. Do you want me to walk you to the door before taking my seat?" he asked, positioning the small veil and clip into the crown of curls on her head.

Hermione cleared her throat. "I was actually hoping you could walk me to Lucius, instead."

Abraxas's hands stilled their movements for a moment before slowly adjusting the clip a bit more. Then, he removed his hands and offered his arm. "I'd be honored. Yes."

Hermione smiled, taking the arm of the man that would, very soon, be her father in law. "We've come a long way, haven't we, Abraxas?"

Abraxas cleared his throat as his free hand came up to slightly adjust his bowtie. "Lord Malfoy or Abraxas in public. Father in private," he said with his voice just a bit too composed.

Hermione looked in the mirror, glancing over herself as she fought down the emotion she was feeling. Her dress was an ivory ball gown with a sweetheart neckline and thick halter straps. Immaculate golden and silver stitching decorated the thick satin material on the torso, giving it an almost lace like appearance. Tiny diamonds were sewn throughout, giving it a slight shimmer in the light. Her bump stood out but did not make her look very big yet. Though she was a bit uncomfortable, her weight so far was all in her stomach and not widespread.

Her makeup was delicate and as natural as could be appropriate in such an elaborate gown, while her heard was lifted up off of her neck in a mass of curls. The beaded veil and hairclip that had just been added completed the look.

"I'd be honored," she finally returned as he led her from the room.

They took a private hallway that led them to entrance of the ballroom from the room the brides were to get ready in. Inside, they could hear the buzzing of the room full of guests. "It seems the Great Bow Debacle of 1974 has been sorted," Abraxas said quietly, knowing Adeline wouldn't have allowed the guests to be seated if the room had not been ready.

Hermione chuckled in appreciation, as she reached for the case at a table next to them, grabbing the large cascading bouquet from within. Abraxas was much like what she would have imagined the older Lucius Malfoy to be, minus the penchant for cruelty. It made Hermione wonder if, perhaps, she would have been able to love Lucius even if he had not taken a different road this time around. Over time, she and Abraxas had developed a very close understanding of each other, and she was sure he agreed that they would be each other's first choice to go to if something horrible happened and help was needed.

There were some things Lucius just wouldn't be able to help with considering his not being involved with Voldemort. It was certainly something Hermione would never begin to complain about. Her Lucius had an innocence to him that she couldn't truly remember herself possessing. Most of her remembered experiences had clouded her childhood. She was a product of a war not yet experienced by Lucius, and she dreaded the day that might change.

Still, Abraxas was someone she could rely on to not overreact even if he disagreed or worried about her. He would try to preserve her reputation and not allow people to think badly of her, no matter what she did. He would try to be rational, and she believed he had truly adopted her into his family. He cared about her wellbeing as much as Lucius's.

It was that which had her looking up at the man next to her in appreciation. While her father couldn't be here with her, the next best thing was.

He cleared his throat as he stared at the closed doors, obviously aware of her gaze and discomforted by it. "How do we know when it is time?" he asked.

"They cast a charm to alert them when we arrived. They know we are here and will start the music a few seconds before the door…"

The music started, and Hermione shut her mouth, knowing the rest was moot. A moment later, as promised, the double doors swung open to allow their entrance into the ballroom.

Hermione's eyes widened at the sight. Adeline had outdone herself.

Gauzy silver and gold material was draped across the wooden beams on the ceiling, and small lights twinkled upon it. Dark wooden pews were arranged for the guests, and each was ended with silver and gold bows that were perfectly tied with sprigs of baby's-breath inside.

The aisle was made up of a runner threaded with silver and gold threading detailing swirling green ivy that was woven within.

"It would appear strange if I took the first step. I'm not forcing you up there, Hera," Abraxas muttered, standing tall.

Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes as she and Abraxas stepped together, beginning their march.

For all of the people, which was quite a lot considering the expected guests and the unnecessary (in her mind) Malfoy business associates, it was hard to see Lucius. She spotted several people though.

Dumbledore was seated toward the front on her side with Professor McGonagall and Poppy Pomfrey. Edgar was seated next to them.

On the other side next to Adeline sat the Dark Lord himself. Hermione didn't keep her eyes locked on his, but gave him the cursory glance and polite nod. It was expected, after all. Still, she'd rather imagine he wasn't there at all. He cut an imposing and even handsome figure, but she thought it would rather look better in the ground.

She was pleased to see that Severus was standing with Professor Flitwick and the Dolohovs a few aisles in front of Dumbledore. Hermione smiled at them as she passed, happy to see that Antonin was reaching out and that Severus was among friendly faces for now.

Severus had a look of surprise and happiness on his face as she met his eyes before looking toward Lucius on the other side, in front of the Dark Lord.

Hermione followed his gaze and saw her husband to be, looking at her from his place at the front. She blushed at his appreciative look, seeing how proud he was to be the man for whom she was there.

His robes were black with silver and gold thread at the hem lines, and were a bit more fitted than she was accustomed to. He towered over the Bonder by a good six inches. His hair looked freshly cut and was, for once, loose and thick about his shoulders. Gods, she was a lucky woman.

As they reached the end of the aisle, opening the floor up to the two steps to the altar, the Bonder spoke. He was an older gentleman that Abraxas had arranged because he had bonded Adeline and himself when they had married. "Who brings this witch to be married today?"

"I, Abraxas Malfoy, bring this witch to be a boon to my son and my family," Abraxas replied smoothly, as if he had been prepared to speak well before today. Hermione glanced at him, wondering if he had known she would ask him to walk her. If he had only come back there to give her the chance to easily do so. She smiled, mentally waving it off. It wouldn't surprise her, and it didn't really matter.

Lucius walked down the two steps, and Abraxas gently moved her arm, putting it on Lucius's instead. The two men nodded to each other before Abraxas went to take his seat in the front on the other side of his wife.

Lucius guided her up the two small steps, and Hermione could feel herself beaming as she took in her surroundings. The room was beautiful, and it was magical to see the storm brewing over the ocean as waves raced toward the cliffs below.

"Today we are gathered for the merging of two magical people in the hopes that they will jointly be a credit to our society and magic itself. May your bonds to one another only make you stronger."

The room murmered the last sentence in an echo, and Hermione took a deep breath.

"Do you, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, take this witch to be your wife, your partner, your companion, and the mother of your children?"

"I do," he said, strongly.

"And do you, Hera Elias, take this wizard to be your husband, your partner, your companion, and the father of your children?"

"I do," she replied, glancing at Lucius with a smile.

The bonder nodded, taking a step back from the pair. "Lucius and Hera have decided to share private vows with each other." He reached to a small table to his right and pulled off two long pieces of silver and gold roping, handing a piece to each of them. "Clasp your hands and bond your words," he said, looking down.

Lucius and Hermione grabbed each other's left hands, and leaned in close to each other.

As Lucius slowly started to wrap his silver rope around their wrists, he whispered gently into his ear. "I will be patient. I will be kind. I will listen to everything you have to say before reacting. I will be loyal. I will endeavor to put you and our family above all else at all times. I bind myself to thee, Hermione Jean Granger, secure in the knowledge that my family will be made stronger, and my soul be made whole. I love you, Hermione."

Hermione's couldn't suppress the tears that came to her eyes at hearing his whispered words vowing to love her with her own name. It seemed more real that way.

He put his free hand down as he finished, and she looked up at him before leaning toward his ear. Wrapping the gold rope around their hands, she returned with her own vows.

"I will remember and honor my promises to you in all times. You and our family will be my priority from this moment forward. I will share my secrets with you whenever possible and any kept will not be to our detriment. I will be loyal. I will care for you and help guide your path. I bind myself to thee, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, secure in the knowledge that my family will be made stronger and my soul be made whole. I love _you_ , Lucius."

They smiled at each other once more as they leaned back from each other, and the bonder looked up at the movement. He pulled out his wand and laid it to their tied hands before softly incanting words that brought the four ends together, fusing them.

As he finished, their hands warmed, and the roped tightened to an almost uncomfortable point.

"The vows you have made today have been deemed sincere by the magic you have put into them. Lucius Malfoy, you may kiss your bride."

Lucius reached up his free hand as he stepped in close, delicately pressing his lips to hers. Hermione sighed into his mouth, feeling a rush of contentment and safety move through her. As the ropes that had tied them together loosened and fell to the floor between them, Lucius stepped even closer, wrapping his arms around her as he deepened the kiss. Though the ropes would be displayed in their home as a memento, the true visual was the band of skin around their respective wrists that would be several shades darker that the rest of their skin until they died.

As he finally pulled away, they stared intently into each other's eyes. "And so it begins," he whispered.

She smiled beautifully, grabbing his hand in hers. "And so it begins."

* * *

Hermione spent the next hour of her life being photographed with Lucius and his parents. She had also managed to have Severus brought into the room without anyone noticing to join in for a few. The young boy had look thrilled to be so included into the family.

As Abraxas and Adeline had left to go into the ballroom for the reception, Abraxas had guided Severus out with a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, son, let's leave these two alone for a few minutes." Severus's look of idol worship sent to Abraxas had been something to see.

Hermione was sure that she would recall that moment as being one of the best of her wedding in the future.

Abraxas had kept mentoring and writing Severus during the last school year, and she knew that Severus looked up to Abraxas as being an adult man that cared about him and wouldn't hurt him. Hermione knew, and she knew that Abraxas was aware as well, that being included so carelessly into the Malfoy family would mean the world to Severus. Not that Abraxas ever did _anything_ carelessly. Still, it made her love for her father-in-law grow even a bit more.

Lucius and Hermione waited a while longer in the silence of the room, enjoying a glass of champagne while they waited for the guests to be seated.

They were just about to head toward the ballroom for dinner when the door opened, and Lord Voldemort strolled in.

"The new Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy! My most sincere congratulations!"

Hermione gave a deep curtsy as Lucius nodded his head. "Thank you, my Lord," Hermione replied, which was quickly echoed by her new husband.

While they hadn't expected the Dark Lord's immediate presence, they had both been prepared for the eventuality of him seeking them out. It would be unlike him to not expect her attention to be at least partially focused on him, even on her own wedding day.

The Dark Lord nodded back at them both, holding out a wrapped box toward them.

"Lucius, your wife is absolutely beautiful in her gown. I am sure I have never seen a more stunning bride. I wished to bring this gift to you privately, knowing that Hera will understand and appreciate its significance. Do not fret, though, while this gift would be folly to display publicly, you are also receiving a rather generous monetary gift. I recently came into a rather abundant amount of money, as I am sure you are aware."

They both knew he was speaking of the Nott fortune that he had taken for himself. How he had gotten the goblins to release the funds to him was a bit of a mystery, but it was a well-known secret that the Dark Lord had claimed the lot of it for his cause.

"Thank you, my Lord. That is most generous of you. And yes, I could not have found a more breathtaking bride."

Hermione smiled at Lucius and kept it on her face as she looked at the Dark Lord. She stepped out and took the box he was holding out for her. "Do you wish for us to open it now?"

"Please do. I would love to see your reaction. It was quite a difficult gift to find," the Dark Lord responded.

Lucius took the box to hold while Hermione undid the bow surrounding it. Then, she lifted off the lid and looked inside. Her gasp was not acted at all. "Is this?"

Lord Voldemort nodded. "Yes. After Lucius bought you that stunning replica of Slytherin's locket, we discussed your fascination with the founder's belongings. Do you recall? I must admit I was hoping to find the actual locket itself, but I am afraid it has been lost to time. This cup, though, is the actual cup that belonged to Helga Hufflepuff."

Lucius's eyes widened as they both looked inside at the artifact. Gingerly, Hermione reached in, pulling it out. "It is… it is amazing! Thank you, my Lord!" she exclaimed, feeling the exhilaration coursing through her. Just as she had hoped, he had gifted her with one of his horcruxes.

She handed it to Lucius to inspect and watched as his face took on a strange expression.

"My Lord, while we are most thankful for this truly priceless gift… you are aware it has some kind of dark magic embedded?" Lucius asked, cautiously. It would be expected of him to notice, of course. A curse breaker was trained to be attuned to Dark Magic.

The Dark Lord nodded, somberly. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy, I am aware of that unfortunate fact. A shame that someone could do something to an object that is so valuable, but we cannot change the past. I would urge you though, despite your skill, not to attempt to remove its affliction. I think doing so without irreparably damaging the chalice would be near impossible. You will respect my wishes not to risk damage to it, won't you?"

Hermione and Lucius both looked up, putting up their very best masks. "I wouldn't dream of it, my Lord. You are, of course, right. There is always the risk of damaging an artifact permeated with dark magic, and this is too important to risk."

Hermione nodded. "Lucius is right. Besides, it isn't like we would wish to drink from it anyway. It is to be admired, not used." She turned her head to Lucius, "Do you think we should just store it in our vault at Gringotts? It would be safe there, and I am not so eager to let people know we have it."

She whipped her head to the Dark Lord. "Not that we are not grateful, my Lord, but…"

The Dark Lord nodded, looking exceptionally pleased. "I completely understand and agree, Hera. I will admit that it was hard to even decide to give it to you. I know you will take good care of it, though, and I hope it will let you see that those that serve me are richly rewarded."

Hermione smiled widely, taking the cup back from Lucius to look at. "Lord, we are absolutely entranced by this most generous gift. I… I will endeavor to be deserving of it."

Lucius nodded. "It is stunning. I will call one of our elves to take it to our vault for us immediately, if that would be acceptable, my Lord."

The Dark Lord nodded, and Lucius quickly called Jingle, his personal elf. "Jingle, please take this cup to our joint vaults at Gringotts. Please put it in one of the most protected cabinets we have inside."

Jingle nodded, wincing as he touched the cup, before soundlessly popping away.

"Well, I fear I have taken up too much of your time. We should go enjoy what is sure to be a most delightful dinner and wedding reception, should we not?"

Lucius and Hermione nodded as they walked with the Dark Lord from the room and into the ballroom for their reception.

* * *

Author's Note: I am going on vacation for the next week and will be unable to update. I hope to have another chapter up once I've returned to my desk, on the 4th or 5th. Thanks for reading, as always, and for all of you who take the time to leave such thoughtful reviews! It is very much appreciated.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter. I do not own any of the things I am writing about by enjoy the opportunity to play with it for free!

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Twenty-four**

Hermione laughed with her new husband as they ate their meal together. They were at their own table, able to look out and see all of their assembled guests. In addition to the mood naturally set by marrying someone you loved, they could also cheer that they were one step closer to getting rid of the thorn in their side.

They were both on cloud nine and enjoying every moment of it. In solidarity, Lucius and she were only people drinking sparkling grape juice. While not popular in the magical world, Hermione had mentioned the option to Adeline, and the older witch had happily provided it.

Hermione ate the last bite of some rather wonderful green beans as Lucius leaned in toward her. "I think it is about time we open up the room for dancing, isn't it?"

Hermione looked around to see that most people were mingling with the people seated next to them. "I believe you are right."

Lucius stood and then helped his new wife out of her chair before walking her to the center of the room and onto the dance floor. Upon seeing him approach, the band segued into a gentle waltz. Hermione smiled as Lucius pulled her into his arms and started to lead her across the dancefloor.

"You look absolutely stunning," he whispered into her ear.

She chuckled in response, shaking her head with amusement. "You know, I remember the last time you said that… three minutes ago."

He pulled back to look at her, "Well, obviously that is because I can't think straight because you look so perfect."

She rolled her eyes at his cheesiness as he spun her out and then close to him. "Well, I hope you think I am beautiful later when I am burning these shoes in the fireplace. I just want a pair of pajamas."

"I'm not sure about the pajamas, but I am perfectly fine dealing with the smell of burning leather as I make love to you tonight."

She smirked, "So that's your big plan, hmm?"

He nodded. "One of many, wife."

They danced for the remainder of that first song and two others before Abraxas asked to cut in, handing Lucius off to dance with Adeline.

"Happy?" her father-in-law asked, looking at her, seriously.

She nodded, smiling. "Very."

"Has Lucius told you his plans for the honeymoon yet?" he asked, glancing at the people around them.

She shook her head. "No. I told him to just keep it simple. I didn't want him to annoy the goblins by turning down work this early in. We will probably go somewhere for the rest of the weekend, maybe."

Abraxas looked at her, trying and failing to hide his amusement as he raised an eyebrow. "Hera, my dear, you do realize you married my son, correct? Tall and blonde with a crooked nose… a lot like his mother?"

Hermione laughed, though she did start to think that her suggestions as to a honeymoon had not been taken all that seriously. It was true. Lucius was quite a bit like his mother regarding the finer things in life. Abraxas appreciated his wealth to be sure, but was content with a quality thing that lasted a long time. Adeline wanted flash. She was frequently redecorating the manor for fun, and Hermione had already seen how much effort she would put into a vacation even with the shortest amount of notice.

"Do you know where we are going?" she asked, curiously.

Abraxas nodded. "I do, but you will find that I am quite skilled in the art of Occlumency. You can only blame yourself that you will get nothing out of me."

She snorted, a noise which caused her father-in-law to frown with a passive disapproval.

"My, my Hera, that was quite the wonderful impression of the Bornean Bearded Pig. I didn't know you had such a passion for animal noises. The peacocks will be thrilled to have someone so willing to communicate with them."

She pursed her lips, staring at him in exasperation. "Abraxas Malfoy, I am quite sure that if I were to go in your study, I would find a book regarding different types of pigs. How long have you had that response prepared?"

Abraxas smirked, "I think we can both agree that I have a wide array of literary tastes. Was I foolish to assume you would find the quest for knowledge to be a noble one, no matter the reason?"

"That's it. The first noise I teach your granddaughter to make will be that of a pig. Because of your interest in them, of course. Perhaps she will even find enjoyment playing in the mud…" Hermione allowed her voice to trail off, enjoying the look on Abraxas's face as he envisioned what she was sure was a small Malfoy toddler dressed in her best white party dress and covered with mud.

"Well played," Abraxas eventually said, stepping back from her and giving a small bow. She laughed merrily, smiling at her new father. She then watched as he nodded his head at the person behind her and soon found herself being handed off to man after man for a dance with each one.

Fortunately for her, the Dark Lord was busy working the room and did not request a dance. She did see him speaking with Albus and Minerva. All three were stood ramrod straight, but not wands were drawn. Hermione assumed Voldemort simply wanted to disconcert the old man, though Albus was prepared for it.

Her dance with Antonin yielded a pleasant conversation about how he had recently started going to muggle movies and plays again as well as exploring more of muggle London.

She was quite amused when Sirius Black walked up, confidently asking Roland Shacklebolt if he could cut in. Roland looked down at the boy in amusement before nodding, "If you think you can handle a witch like this, lad, all the better to you. I think she's taken, though."

Sirius had blushed but kept his posture straight as he nodded. She could see Orion and Cygnus watching from the side of the room as she allowed the young man to put his hand on her waist.

"Mr. Black," she greeted, allowing him to lead despite his lack of fluidity on the dance floor.

"Professor El… Malfoy, I suppose now?"

Hermione nodded with a smile. "I suppose so. And you are the first to call me that."

Sirius smiled boyishly, and Hermione couldn't help but return it. He was so innocent and sweet this young, without an unfair imprisonment and the loss of almost all of the people he loved most weighing upon him.

"Professor, can I ask you a question?"

She thought about teasing him a bit but decided against it. "Okay, Mr. Black. Sure."

"Uhm… in first year, you said that there were people that were just… bad, sometimes. I am just kind of confused about… well, if you listen to the Prophet…"

Hermione nodded. "Indeed. My social circles are quite large, and you will find people of all sorts of backgrounds here."

"I am surprised that my cousin was invited at all, and… well… I might have heard a familiar voice when I was at a shop in Hogsmeade a while back."

Hermione frowned, gathering that he was referencing the day the Death Eaters had attacked there. "Mr. Black, I am under the impression that you do not agree with your family's stances about several things. Am I correct?"

He nodded his head, glancing over to his uncle and father.

"Yet, they are still your family, and you still have your part to play. When you become an adult, you often have a part to play with more than just your family or friends. You can be one thing to one person and something completely different from another. In a few years, I hope you will understand more, but for now, that is all I can offer to you."

Sirius nodded, looking to the side.

"Well, I can offer one more," she said, quietly.

His glance turned to her, confusion showing clearly on his face.

She smiled, squeezing the hand that was holding hers. "You told me you are not friends with Severus, and that is fine. You have, however, lived admirably up to your promise."

"Well, so has he," Sirius said, causing Hermione to smile a bit more.

"Be that as it may, I do quite like you, Sirius, which is why I am saying this to you…" she met his eyes, trying to show her seriousness as she continued. "…there are people in this room that hate each other. I have no doubt that if Bellatrix thought she could get away with killing me, I would be dead five times over at least. There are other people in here that feel that way about each other, too. Do you realize that?"

He nodded, looking kind of startled by the turn in conversation.

"To the best of my knowledge, you are still a boy and no one wishes you any particular ill will. Eventually, though, you will age and that may change. I wish you to know, Mr. Black, that in me you have a staunch ally. Unless you drastically change into someone different overnight, you will never have anything to fear from me, regardless of what you determine my feelings about other things to be. I am a friend, do you understand?"

He nodded again, swallowing nervously. She released him, curtsying as was proper. "Please enjoy the rest of the reception."

Fortunately, her inclusion of dancing with Sirius made it seem normal for Severus to request a dance as well. Severus, though not well practiced with the steps, had a natural grace about him, and Hermione pointed it out.

"Severus, I think that you could turn out to be an amazing dancer with a bit more opportunity," she said, smiling at him.

He blushed lightly and nodded in thanks.

"Lucius said you will be away for a little over a week," he said, quietly.

"Well, I can't confirm that because I have no clue what we are doing. I'll owl as soon as we are back, though. You can take the time to hang out with Lily a bit more while I am away. Is she back from vacation?"

Severus nodded, but he didn't seem largely enthusiastic. "Yes, she's home now. I just… do you think there are people you are meant to be friends with forever?"

Hermione sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "I like to think so, but I'm not sure you can count on it from your age. People change. Even if you don't feel like you change all that much, people change around you. I think there is also a lot of room to be friends but not be as close as you once were. Of course, those things can be in flux. You can be distant and then grow close again. Are you and Lily upset with each other?"

He looked up at her, frowning slightly. "We aren't… arguing, but I think we are changing. She is making her own friends in the dorms, and I feel like I have people I care about more now. When I first got to Hogwarts, I thought that… well, I didn't expect to be like I am now. I thought that as long as Lily was my friend that everything would be fine and nothing would change."

"That makes sense. For a long time, outside of your mother, she was the only person for you to go to. Now, you have friends and adopted family that care for you. She doesn't have to be everything to you, and that is good. We should not rely on one person, no matter how great they are, to be everything to us. I can freely admit that you make me happy in a way that is uniquely you and a way that Lucius will never be able to fill or even my child, no matter how much I love them both."

Severus nodded, "You are right. I don't feel like I need her as much anymore. While I am happy about the reasons why, it feels strange not to rely on her as much."

"Well, you should be friends because she makes you happy and is a good friend to you. You should try to keep her friendship if that is the case, so… spend time with her while I am away. Strengthen your bonds. And, Severus, as always, you are welcome to go to Princeton Place if you need to. Or Malfoy Manor if you need Abraxas, yes?"

"Yes, Hera," he said, quietly.

The song came to a close, and Hermione felt Lucius come up behind her, putting a hand on her waist. "Ready to go?" he whispered to her.

Hermione stepped back from Severus, smiling at him. "I'll owl you the second I get home, okay? You'll come for dinner that night."

Severus smiled a little in return, "I will. Have fun."

* * *

Hermione stepped out of the fireplace, brushing the soot from herself. Lucius still had not told her where they were going, and she had been following him from ministry to ministry, country to country.

This time, when she stepped out, it was just Lucius standing there. Glancing around, she saw that they were obviously in a bedroom and not another ministry building. She glanced at Lucius, framed by a large window overlooking the sea at nighttime. "Are we here?"

Lucius said nothing as he came toward her and took her arms, moving her to the side. Then, he backed her up to the edge of the fireplace as he doused the fire with a spell, disconnecting the floo. With her back pressed against the stone, he hungrily pressed his lips to hers.

"Love, I know you are exhausted, but I need you now," he whispered.

Though, yes, the multiple floo trips had left her feeling a bit worse for wear, she couldn't ignore the feeling that rushed over her as he kissed the delicate spot right underneath her earlobe. She moaned lightly, bringing her hands to his chest. He pulled away and spun her around, causing her to put her hands to the stonework as he stepped close to her back.

Slowly, he unlaced her dress, following his fingers with a trail of kisses that ran down her spine. When he finished, he was on his knees, and he turned her around to face him again, laying kisses to her lightly swollen stomach.

"How do you feel about having a big family?" he asked, his hands slowly pushing the rest of the dress material to the floor. His hands caressed her legs, and she shuddered, wondering why he was bringing that up at the moment.

"I… I don't know," she answered, running her hands through his hair as he looked up at her.

"I never found pregnant witches to be particularly beautiful, but… the idea of you always looking like this. Keeping you curvy and glowing with my child growing inside…"

He groaned as he stood up and kissed her again, pouring his desire and love for her into it. Then, without hesitation, bent and scooped her up, causing her to squeak in protest at the sudden movement.

He carried her to the large bed on the other side of the room, gently laying her down in the center of it. She watched as he met her eyes, slowing undoing his tie and shedding his robes, followed by the rest of his clothes. Then, he crawled up on the bed toward her, stopping when his head was at her waist level. He carefully bit down on the strap of her panties, the last bit of clothing she was wearing, and descended again, pulling them off with his teeth. When he was done, he kissed a hot trail up her body, all the way to her lips.

"I love you, Mrs. Malfoy," he whispered in her ear, and she shuddered in delight.

* * *

For the next ten days, Hermione spent her time in a state of perpetual bliss. The numerous floo trips to get to the Turkish beach town of Kalkan had been exhausting, but they had finally made it. Largely a British tourist town, they were both pleased that they did not have to attempt to struggle with the native tongue of the inhabitants. Even more useful was the fact that almost half of the town was magical and hidden under muggle repellant wards.

Lucius had rented a beautiful villa for them to use for their stay and flying carpets for their use to get them down to the shoreline from the hilly country they were staying their nights in.

Flying carpets were exhilarating, and Hermione couldn't help but wonder why the UK had banned them. With the wider surface area, she felt more comfortable on the carpet than she ever had on the broom, and she found it to be easy to control.

Lucius, of course, tended to try to show off on his own. He pushed his own temporary carpet to the limits of its speed and turning ability. After watching him for a while, Hermione suspected that one too many idiots wanted to treat a carpet like a broom.

Lucius contended that the CEOs of Nimbus and Cleansweep, the largest present day broom manufacturers, both had seats on the Wizengamot and had a good reason to not allow other flying transportation. Though he said the men would say it was about "preserving the tradition that British witches and wizards fly brooms, not fancy rugs."

During the days, they would spend their time either wandering the town or hanging around a wizarding beach club. They had both enjoyed some time swimming with bubbleheaded charms, though they could not go too deep with the added water pressure on the baby. Lucius had also found a love for water skiing, which Hermione was perfectly fine to watch him enjoy from her seat on a plethora of large pillows under a large, colorful canopy. The food, also, made them fall in love with the area. They were both dazzled by the large array of grilled meats and vegetables, along with plenty of baklava and Turkish coffee.

They had also enjoyed the wizarding take on the Turkish bath, where the mud was mixed with additional balms and potions that took away any aches experienced after their days of exploring.

Their nights were spent in their private villa, whether it be in bed, in the hot tub, or in their own pool with personal waterfall. Though Hermione felt as if she was already quite large, Lucius seemed to find her changing body to be absolutely enchanting. He always had a hand on her in some way when he was within arm's reach, and she had grown accustomed to his hand slightly rubbing her stomach as he fell asleep each night.

The days away had been very much enjoyed, and Hermione was dreading to leave. Leaving would not only mean abandoning a place that had brought her a large amount of peace in an otherwise hectic life, but it would mean returning to the Dark Lord's side. Fortunately, with the addition of Hufflepuff's cup, they had only the diary and the ring to worry about.

While Hermione was still waiting to go for the ring, concerned that Dumbledore would be too tempted by it if led to it early, she did have to wonder where the diary was. She doubted the Dark Lord would entrust her with more than one. He had seemed eager to spread them out, knowing it would be difficult for people to get all of them without him knowing if they were not near to each other. She did know that it was not laid out in the open, considering her general interest in the bookshelves that her master actively encouraged.

She hoped that Abraxas might personally be trusted with one or maybe Antonin as she knew they would easily hand it over to her.

On the morning they were set to leave, Lucius came to Hermione's bedside with a smile. "Have you enjoyed your time here?" he asked, passing her a glass of milk, which she had been enjoying a lot of lately.

She nodded. "Yes, it is a shame to leave."

"You've liked it here, then? Do you want to return some day?" he asked, happily.

Hermione laughed. "More than anything. I'd move here if I could," she said in response, sipping her milk.

"Even the villa? You like it?"

She shrugged. "It's lovely, but a bit large for two people. It seems empty in a way. Why did you rent something with four bedrooms when we only needed one anyway?"

He grinned, "Because I wanted to know you liked it before I officially signed the papers…"

Hermione's eyes bulged. "Wait, what?"

He laughed. "This place is for sale, and I offered to rent it for this time to decide if we wished to buy. Now that I know we both like it here, I intend to finalize the sale."

Hermione sat up a bit more in bed. "You mean… this house is going to be ours? What about Princeton Place?"

Lucius shrugged. "It will be our home during the school year and when we are not here during the summer or holidays. There is plenty of room for us, the baby, and even Severus to come as well. My parents can even visit. I already secured a company to furnish this place, and when we visit next summer it will be all ready for us."

At her shocked look, Lucius scoffed. "Well, I had to get you a wedding present, didn't I?"

She blushed in embarrassment. "It isn't like I got you a wedding present," she whispered.

His hand reached out, running across her stomach. "I have everything I need. Well… once we both sign these papers that is." He waved his wand and a manila envelope flew into the room and into his outstretched hand.

Hermione's hand shook in excitement as she signed the papers as directed. _Hera Malfoy._

Lucius smiled at her as he took the papers and pen, dropping them on the nightstand next to the discarded glass of milk. "We have another few hours before we leave, you know," he said, lying down at her side and running a hand across her arm.

She smiled, hiding the smirk within as she responded. "Oh… a bit more paddle boarding before we leave sounds great!"

Her husband's growl was quickly followed by giggles as he pulled her on top of him, moving her to straddle his waist. "You know there are much more productive things to do with our time, right?"

She laughed, even as she started to unbutton his shirt. "Well, I don't think we can really up what has already been produced," she said, glancing at her stomach.

Somehow, with the potion and their marriage, they had managed to quite easily talk themselves into believing that the girl growing inside was a product of their love for each other. Though, Hermione thought that it was in a way. Lucius's love for her and their mutual forgiveness had brought them closer together, and without it she couldn't have taken the potion to begin with.

Lucius chuckled, lifting his shoulders so that she could push the shirt off of his shoulders. "Well, we can practice for next time, then," he teased. He reached down for his belt buckle, and Hermione lifted her hips to allow him better range of motion as he shimmied his pants down.

After a moment, Hermione rolled her eyes, reaching under the pillow and grabbing her wand. With a quick flick of her wrist, their clothes were banished.

Lucius smirked, "Impatient, are we?" One of his hands came up to her chest, delicately brushing the underside of her breast as the other caressed her bare hip.

"Well, we only have a few hours. Best not waste time fumbling with clothes."

* * *

Hermione handed the letter to the owl and directed it to go to Severus's house. Lucius's voice sounded from behind her. "Eager to write asking for divorce papers?" he asked, teasingly.

She rolled her eyes as she turned around. "I promised Severus I would write him as soon as we got back. He'll be coming over for dinner tonight, of course. Any idea what I should make?"

Lucius nodded, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Hmm... Lasagna?"

"Severus's favorite! Good idea, Lucius!"

He snorted. "Married less than two weeks and the novelty has already worn off. It's my favorite, too, you know, but all you care about is what _Severus_ would like."

Hermione kissed his cheek, seeing the sparkle in his eye that leant itself to the fact that he was just playing with her. She pulled back as the owl came back in and snatched it away, causing the owl to hoot indignantly.

She smiled as she read the response, scribbled on the same note she had sent. "He will be here at seven. I need to go to the market. Anything you are wanting?"

"That depends. Is chocolate mousse Severus's favorite?" he asked, smirking as he flopped down on the couch with a book in his hand.

She laughed lightly as she grabbed her wallet, heading for the door. "Well, I'm not sure if I should make chocolate mousse. It is very fattening, and I can already see that you have decided to let yourself go now that you got me to marry you," she teased, shutting the door behind him amidst his protests.

She practically skipped to the market. She was very excited to tell Severus how her trip to Turkey had been. Hopefully, he would be just as excited when she invited him to go there with her, Lucius, and the baby next summer. She thought some time in the sun away from the rather depressing town of Cokesworth would do him good.

A few minutes later, she was waiting for the butcher to finish weighing and packaging the ground beef and sausage that she would need for the dinner. She was about to ask for some bacon to fry up the next morning when a familiar face was peering into the meat display next to her.

"Eileen!" she said, smiling happily at the woman.

Eileen jumped before she caught herself, smiling gently at Hermione. Eileen wasn't looking very good at the moment. Despite it being the very end of July, she was wearing a long sleeved dress and a scarf. Her eyes had dark circles around them, and her hair looked thinning. "Hello, Hera, dear. How was your honeymoon? I am sorry that I couldn't attend the wedding."

Hermione brushed it off. "That's okay, Eileen. I understand. Lucius and I had a wonderful time, though it will be strange for him to go off to work tomorrow as if it's a normal day. We went to Turkey. Oh, Severus is going to come to my house for dinner tonight. Lasagna. Would you like to join us?"

"Who is this, Eileen?" a deep voice said from a few feet away.

Hermione glanced behind them to see a very tall man. He was broad shouldered, and Hermione was sure that at one time he had once been quite striking. He had medium brown hair that looked as if it hadn't been washed very recently, and he seemed a bit sweaty. His nose and cheeks had a rosy look about them, and he was slumped over, leaning a hand against a display. Tobias Snape.

She had never had the opportunity to see Eileen's abuser, and coming face to face with him made her hands clench with anger.

"I asked who this is, Eileen? You don't have friends, so I'd love to hear who would be inviting you to dinner," he said, stonily.

Eileen's eyes were wide as she shook her head. "Oh, this is just a woman that lives down the block, Toby. I was just about to tell her that I am expected to cook dinner for you, so… I am sorry, Hera, I can't make it. Some other time, perhaps."

"Hera, hmm? What kind of freakish name is that?"

He was quiet for a moment before his eyes lit up with a strange sort of malice. "Hasn't Severus mentioned some friend named that? Do you know my son?"

Hermione cleared her throat, trying to smile politely. "Yes. Severus is a friend of mine. He's a great kid, Mr. Snape."

He glared. "And what reason do you have for wanting some loser twelve year old hanging around you? Are you some sort of… Mrs. Robinson type? Trying to take off my boy's pants?" He took a step toward her, staggering slightly.

Hermione felt her face heat up, even as Eileen reached a calming hand out toward her husband. Tobias shoved her hand off of his.

Hermione knew she was glaring now. "Your son, in case you are unaware, is actually fourteen, Mr. Snape. As to my intentions toward him, he is one of my favorite students, and I consider him to be a dear friend as well. To insinuate that I cannot have a positive relationship with a child without there being some gross reasoning says more about you than it does about me, sir. Now, I suggest you take two steps back from me, or I will show you exactly what I am teaching your son at school." Her hand casually pulled her wand from her pocket, cradling it partially against her arm so he could see it while it was hidden from the rest of the patrons.

"Hera," Eileen said, sounding slightly panicked.

Tobias turned toward his wife, "Go pay for your things and get home, Eileen. We will talk there."

Eileen started to walk, but Hermione spoke up. "Eileen, you are welcome to come to my home any time. Yes?"

Eileen turned and gave a quick nod before scurrying toward the front of the store with her basket.

When his wife was gone, Tobias advanced a few more steps. He towered over her, but he did keep shooting glances at the exposed wand as he encroached upon her space.

"Trying to cause problems in my family, are you, bitch?"

Hermione subtly pushed her wand into his stomach. "Mr. Snape, I am not your child or your wife, and I am not afraid to defend myself. To be honest, the idea of smashing your skull into the wall is quite appealing right now, and I feel as if you took stock of who you are threatening at the moment you would realize that my self-control falters in the face of abusive assholes. Again, step back."

"Miss, is there a problem here? Should I call the police?" a voice said, and Hermione vaguely recognized it as the butcher's.

She and Severus's father stared into each other's eyes for several moments before Tobias slowly backed away. "Stay the fuck away from my family, you freak."

After he had left, Hermione took several moments to calm down. The butcher handed her the meats from across the counter. "Best stay away from that one, ma'am. I've only seen him on a few occasions, but… people talk."

Hermione nodded, taking the offered packaged from the butcher and mumbling a thank you before she went back to her shopping, steaming the whole time.

* * *

Author's Note: Way back in 2010, I was blessed to spend time in the actual Kalkan, Turkey, and it is to date the best vacation I have ever been on. Turkey is a beautiful country full of very kind and interesting people and wonderful places, and it is very sad to think that it is not considered a safe place to travel to right now. I dearly hope that changes.

Hope you enjoyed meeting Tobias. He's a great guy, huh?

Thanks for all of your awesome reviews! Keep em coming!

Oh, and a game! In the previous chapter, 23, there is a singular sentence in the first half that is somewhat a reference to the next one in the works. If interested, anyone that reviews and guesses correctly will be sent the actual summary for the next story coming (which will be independent to this). Keep in mind that I can't respond to guest reviews.


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: JK Rowling created and owns the rights to Harry Potter. I do not profit from writing this piece of fanfiction.

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Twenty-five**

Hermione walked through her front door with the shopping bags on her arms. She was still furious over her interaction with Tobias Snape, and her interest in getting Severus far, far away from the man was growing by the minute.

A dark part of her suggested that she _could_ get rid of him and make it appear like an accident. It could even be made to seem that he just left them. The thought came to her that she _could_ obliviate him like she had done to her parents. Set him up to just leave and never even have a reason to come back cross his mind. While killing him was definitely not something she truly wanted to do (mostly), she would have to seriously consider the latter idea.

She walked into the kitchen to see Lucius and Severus sitting at the table playing a game of chess. "Severus? You are here early!"

Both men stood, taking the bags off of her and putting them on the nearby counter. She hugged Severus tightly in greeting. "It is so good to see you!"

Severus nodded, "Yes. My mother came home and said that I should come over here early and probably stay the night. Dad is apparently in a bad mood, though he hadn't gotten back before I left. I hope you don't mind?"

His stays at Princeton Place had become routine at this point, and they barely talked about the reason for the majority of them. Hermione couldn't do anything to convince Eileen to leave, and she didn't want to alienate her friend by bringing it up all of the time. Or dampen his spirits, which had gotten better with time. She worried that if she pressured Eileen too much that the woman would stop allowing Severus to come to her. She knew Severus was partially ignoring what was going on at home because he felt as if he couldn't do anything about it.

Hermione did her best to look as if she didn't _know_ what kind of mood Tobias Snape was in. "Of course not. Although, with you being here, you have to help me cook. Can you start chopping an onion for me? And then mince some garlic."

Lucius cleared his throat, "Anything I can do?"

Hermione kissed her husband on the lips before shaking her head. "Stay away from the kitchen? I trust you for toast, and that is about it."

Lucius chuckled before nodding as he walked toward the living room. "Okay, then. I'll be upstairs looking over some research for work."

Hermione and Severus nodded as they got to work on the meal.

Several hours later, after eating their dinner, Hermione and her two boys sat in the living room. She had told Severus about the new house in Turkey, and he seemed very excited to go visit it with them the next summer. He had even asked if there was a way that they could go before the school year started, and Hermione had been happy he felt comfortable asking. At the same time, she had to disappoint him by saying that it was being renovated, she had to prepare for the school year, and Lucius needed to return to work.

Lucius was telling Hermione about a new case he would be starting on during the coming week, and she was sitting next to Severus as he read a book. Hearing a light snore, she looked down to see that at some point in the last few minutes, the boy had fallen asleep against her side.

She smiled before lightly shaking him. He awakened quickly, jerking slightly. "I'm sorry. I think my Ancient Runes text is cursed to make me sleepy," he joked before yawning widely.

Lucius nodded as Hermione hugged the boy that had become her brother. "Go on up to bed, Severus. Hera and I will be needing to go to sleep soon, anyway. I have an early morning at Gringotts."

Severus stood up, saying his goodnights before stumbling up the stairs toward his bedroom.

Lucius and Hermione did stay up a little while longer. After she was sure Severus was asleep, she filled her husband in on her unfortunate meeting with Tobias Snape. Lucius was very angry that the abusive muggle would dare to threaten her and stated that Snape would be stupid to do it if he were around. Hermione then changed the subject back to Lucius's work. Lucius was being entrusted to work on a cursed grimoire belonging to an extinct German wizarding family, the Schaefflers. It had been challenging to even open the book, but other curse breakers had finally succeeded. Unfortunately, many of the pages were hidden under dark spells, and the person who had inherited the book was desperate to read the contents.

Hermione was trying to suppress her yawn, not wanting Lucius to believe her to be uninterested. The subject was fascinating, but it had been a long day.

"You look ready for bed," Lucius observed, standing and pulling her to her feet.

She sighed in response before nodding. "I am; I'm sorry. I need to put the leftovers up, though. Could you go upstairs and change the sheets on the bed? I'll be up in just a minute."

Lucius nodded and kissed her before walking up the stairs. Hermione went into the kitchen and quickly set the dishes to wash and dry themselves before putting the leftover lasagna into the refrigerator.

She was walking back through the living room and by the large front window toward the stairs when she heard it. Sirens. Curiously, she opened the front door and watched as several police cars and an ambulance drove by her house and down the street.

A sick feeling came over her as she summoned her shoes. She shoved them on her feet, not even thinking to call for Lucius as she ran out the door in the direction the cars were going. She rounded the next corner and gasped as her worst thoughts came true. The cars were parked in front of Severus's house and police were milling about in the small front yard. She ran to the house, passing by several nosey neighbors as she did so, and went straight for the door.

A hand reached out and caught her arm. "Miss! You can't go in there!"

Hermione stared at the police officer dumbly for a few seconds. "I… their… their son is at my house!" she said. "What happened?!"

The police officer's face crumpled with grief. "They… they had a son. Hold on a minute, ma'am. I need to get the ranking officer here to talk to you."

Hermione nodded frantically as the man walked off. The past tense that the man had used had not escaped her, and Hermione could feel herself starting to panic even more.

The officer returned seconds later with an older officer at his side. "I'm Detective Floyd. Your name, ma'am?" Hermione noted that the younger of the two had taken out a notebook and pen.

"Hera Elias… Malfoy now. I am a friend of Eileen's, and I teach at Severus's school."

"Severus?" the man asked, quietly.

"Yes. Their son. He is fourteen and sleeping at my house tonight. What is going on? Where is Eileen?"

The man looked at her sadly. "Were you aware of domestic violence taking place here?"

Hermione nodded, slowly. "Yes. I've been trying to talk Eileen into leaving for years, but she refuses. I think the whole neighborhood knows… The best I could do is get her to send Severus to stay at my house if she sees it as being a bad night. I take care of him when it is needed."

"Does…" the man glanced over at his fellow officer's notepad for reference, "Severus have any family we can contact that you know of?"

"No," she replied. "His mother named me to be his guardian… Please, sir. What has happened here?"

"We were called because the neighbor next door heard screaming and what he described as loud banging noises. When the first police officers arrived, they heard a gunshot and went inside. The woman, Eileen, was standing over the body of a man. Tobias Snape, from what I have gathered. Her back was to them and when she turned around she started to charge at them, waving a stick. She collapsed a few feet away, and when the officers checked her, they found that in addition to numerous injuries, she had been shot in the stomach. She was pronounced dead just a few minutes ago by the medics."

Hermione felt her knees go weak, and the man reached out, grasping her arms to keep her upright.

"Miss… can you take us to your home so that we can speak with their son, please?"

Hermione felt the tears flowing as she nodded. "I… I need to sit for a moment," she whispered. The man lowered her to the stoop as she continued to cry.

She was staring at the pavement when she heard Lucius's voice. "That's my wife over there! I'm not trying to go inside!"

She looked up to see her husband walking briskly to her before kneeling down in front of her and pulling her into a hug.

"What has happened?" he asked, quietly. She noticed that the two police officers walked off to give them a moment.

"They… I think they killed each other," she said back. "We… we need to contact the aurors, and I need to get to Severus. Lucius… what will happen to Severus?"

Lucius shushed her. "He will come live with us, of course. He will be okay, Hera. He's a strong boy, and he'll be okay in time."

Hermione shook her head even as she pressed it to his neck, feeling his shirt going wet underneath her face.

Hermione heard another voice call her name and looked up to see Roland Shacklebolt walking toward them in a dark blue suit. Another man, not dressed quite as convincingly muggle, walked next to him. Lucius pulled Hermione up as Roland approached.

"Hera! What is going on here?"

"Severus Snape, one of my students… his parents are dead. His mother is a witch," she said.

Roland nodded to the other auror, and they all watched as the second man walked up to the policemen that had been speaking to Hermione and started to speak.

"Good thinking to call, Lucius. Thank you. What do I need to know here?" Roland asked, looking at her seriously.

Hermione cried again, and Lucius answered for her. "Severus's father, Tobias, is an abusive drunk. Hera convinced Eileen to send Severus over whenever she needed to get Severus away from his father. He's at our house right now, asleep. I silenced the house and put an alarm up for if he wakes... Eileen also made Hera to be Severus's magical guardian, and you can find the paperwork at the ministry. Hera said she thinks that his parents killed each other."

Hermione cleared her throat before forcing herself to speak. "The… the police officer in charge said that there were gunshots. When they busted in, Eileen ran at them waving her wand, and then she collapsed. She'd been shot."

Roland nodded, sadly. "Poor boy. How old is the son? Wait… was he at the wedding? Friends with the Black brothers?"

"He's going into fourth year," Hermione said, quietly, nodding.

"Seemed like a nice lad… Well, it is up to you who speak to him. We can allow the muggles to do it, or I can."

Hermione shook her head. "No… no, I'll do it."

They were then joined by the second auror. "The woman put up a fight. They are trying to figure out how the man died, but from what they say I am guessing the killing curse. They said they can't find any marks on him."

Hermione cried out again as Lucius pulled her into his chest, tightly.

The second auror then groaned. "Damn. Cuffe is here. Standing over by that azalea bush."

"Damnit," Roland said. "Hera, this is going to be all over the Prophet tomorrow."

Lucius squeezed his wife tighter as he responded. "Auror Shacklebolt, Auror Kimmons, thank you for coming to help. I am going to get Hera home and calmed down so that we can talk to Severus. Is there anything we need to do for you?"

Kimmons shook his head. "No. We will get the obliviators out to handle the wand sighting and make it clear that it was self-defense on Mrs. Snape's part. Family services will probably contact you tomorrow to formalize the guardianship being transferred to Mrs. Malfoy. Did I get that right from the police, Mrs. Malfoy? You are his guardian?"

She nodded, sniffling, "Yes. But only in the magical world."

"That's fine. The ministry can falsify the muggle guardianship papers easily enough. I'm very sorry for your loss," he said, gently before walking toward Barnabas Cuffe.

Roland nodded as well, reaching a hand out to squeeze Hera's arm, "I'm so sorry, Hera. I'll be in contact with Dumbledore to let him know, okay? And… about the Prophet… I'm sorry, but Kimmons officially got the call. Cuffe always shows up on his crime scenes… I think they have a deal going, but I can't prove it."

Lucius waved it off. "Not your fault, Mr. Shacklebolt, and thank you for your sympathy. I'm going to get Hera home now."

* * *

Hermione was led into the house by the elbow, head spinning. Lucius left her standing at the foot of the stairs as he disappeared into the kitchen for a calming draught. He had learned that it was best to be prepared for the pain his wife and he would likely go through during the course of the war. As a result, he made sure that an entire cabinet was dedicated to potions that would help in the event of disaster. He palmed one of the blue potions as he put an additional bottle in his pocket.

He walked back to Hermione and put the bottle in her hand. It shook horribly as she lifted it to her mouth.

After swallowing, they waited several moments for her to calm down as Lucius ran a hand over one of her arms.

"I… this is my fault. This didn't happen originally. I… I think I would have known if he had lost his mother this way."

"How is it your fault, though?" Lucius returned, gently.

"If I hadn't… I threatened Tobias. I probably made him feel so… weak and defenseless. Then, he went home and killed Eileen!" Hermione's tears picked up again, and Lucius pulled her gently into him.

"Was Eileen alive when you went to Hogwarts?

Hermione shook her head. "No."

"Well, love… she died sooner than you expected perhaps, but… think of Severus's life. You are likely saving his anyway. Severus will have the next few years in peace without his father hurting him. Without having abuse poison him against muggles."

Hermione looked at him angrily, and he shook his head.

"No, no, love. I mean that though this is horrible, good can come out of every situation. Surely more are saved by in the long run if Severus does not become a Death Eater, including Severus himself. Don't you think Eileen would want that, given the chance?"

Hermione nodded her head. "How do I explain that it was my fault, though? That Tobias… this probably wouldn't have happened if I didn't meet him at the market?"

Lucius sighed, "I think you should ask yourself if you _should_ tell him. His anger shouldn't be with you now, and… ultimately, the information only causes harm. No good can come from it. His father still murdered his mother tonight, and that was not your fault. You were the catalyst for his anger, perhaps, but the outcome is still on him."

Hermione was quiet.

"Just give him time. Let him process this as it is at the moment. If you feel you need to tell him later… do it then. Not now, though. He needs you to be his friend and… a mother right now. At least an older sister. He needs you not to tell him right now."

After several more moments, Hermione nodded, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Do you want me to talk to him for you?" Lucius asked, quietly.

She looked at him with gratefulness, all the while knowing that it would be best if she did it herself.

"No, but will you be there while I tell him? I'll nod at you if I think you should leave, but… I want him to see he has the support of us both."

Lucius nodded and together they walked up the stairs to the guest bedroom. Absently, Lucius removed the spells he had put in place should Severus wake up, and they entered the room to see Severus sleeping.

He was sprawled on his stomach, hugging the pillow his head was resting on and wearing only a pair of cotton pajama bottoms. Once more, Hermione was struck with the difference between her Severus and the guarded Professor Snape she had known. She, of course, had never seen Professor Snape asleep, but she imagined it was not comfortably. She would have been willing to bet that going from one circumstantial prison to another without a break had left him permanently a light sleeper, and likely an insomniac.

Severus, though, was still young. While he might not sleep comfortably at his own home, he seemed to feel safe enough to sleep soundly at hers. She hated to take that away from him. Lucius walked to the desk chair and took a seat as Hermione approached the bed.

She sat down next to him, and gently rubbed his back. "Severus… Severus, can you wake up, please?"

He inhaled slowly, yawning as he rubbed his head against the pillow. "Hera?" he asked as his dark eyes blinked open.

Hermione nodded. "Severus, something has happened, and I need you to wake up and talk to me."

Severus sat up, looking at her apprehensively. "What's wrong?" he whispered. The pain in his eyes made Hermione briefly wonder if he already suspected what she was about to tell him.

"Severus, love… your parents fought tonight," she said, quietly.

He looked to the door as his eyes widened. "My mum… is she okay? Is she at the hospital? Can you take me to her?" His eyes moved back across the room, and he saw Lucius sitting in the chair. For some reason, seeing Lucius there seemed to solidify a thought in his head as tears came to his eyes. "Mum?!"

Hermione felt tears falling down her cheeks as she reached out, pulling Severus into her arms. "Oh, Severus… I'm so, so sorry…"

"Take me to her! Where is she?!" he asked, becoming hysterical.

Hermione pulled back, holding him by the arms. "She's gone, Severus… she's gone."

Severus wailed at that, and Hermione pulled him back into her arms, even as he protested.

She held him tightly until the fight seemed to leave him. "Where is my father? Did they arrest him?"

Hermione shook her head, "He's gone, too, Severus…"

Severus pulled back, looking surprised at that. "How did he… did you kill him?"

Hermione winced, thinking back on how she had briefly considered it earlier in the evening. If she had known what was to happen, chances were that she would have. "No, love… it looks like…"

Lucius cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "Your mother stood up to him, Severus. She fought back this time, and she killed him. She was very brave, but he shot her before she struck him down."

Severus had watched Lucius as he spoke, and his words seemed to resonate in the young man. After a moment, a look of approval passed through his eyes. "Good. I'm glad she killed him," he said, voice quiet.

Then, apparently being struck again by what happened _after_ Eileen killed Tobias, he started to cry again, leaning into Hermione. They stayed there for what felt like a long time, clinging to each other in shared grief. Eventually, his tears stopped, and Hermione felt his breathing even out. Gently, she went to lay him back on his pillow again, but he grasped at her shirt.

She sighed sadly, looking at Lucius. "I'll sleep in here with him," she whispered, laying back with Severus on the bed. Lucius nodded and stood up, coming to cover them with the blanket. He gently leaned over and kissed Hermione on the lips.

"Goodnight, love," he said in a whisper as he walked out.

Hermione wasn't sure when exactly it was she fell asleep, but when she woke up she could see the beginnings of light making its way into the room. She could feel Severus stirring lightly, and she sat up a bit to look at him.

His eyes opened, and he looked at her in confusion at finding her in his bed with him for a split second before he remembered. His eyes welled up with tears, and Hermione hugged him to her again.

"Eventually, Severus… eventually, you'll feel okay again," she said, quietly, feeling her heart break for the boy that had somehow become her brother.

After a few moments, he pulled away and sat up. "I want to know what you know," he said, looking at her seriously. She could see he was fighting not to cry, and she knew she couldn't deny him the truth. In just a few hours, the Daily Prophet would arrive with all the available details. She'd rather he learn from her what had happened.

She nodded, sitting up as well. "Okay, but we are going to go downstairs and eat something."

"I'm not hungry," he said, standing from the bed and going toward the door.

She followed him from the room and down the stairs into the kitchen. He flopped down in one of the kitchen chairs, rubbing his eyes.

Quietly, Hermione prepared a pot of tea and some toast. She put some in front of Severus, and he started to protest. Hermione shook her head, though, pointing at the food.

With a slight growl, he picked up the toast and took a mocking bite.

Hermione sighed, sitting down across from him and preparing his cup of tea before her own.

"I don't know all of the details, Severus. I left the house before they had finished investigating. I do expect it will be in the Prophet today, though… a journalist arrived just after the aurors did."

His hands were shaking, and Hermione quickly stood and crossed the kitchen to grab him a calming draught. As she walked back to the table, Lucius came in. He put a hand on Severus's shoulder for a moment before taking one of the seats next to him.

Hermione returned to her seat, handing Severus the potion. She was thankful that he didn't protest it, as she knew that the conversation to be had would be hard but necessary. Severus was not one to attempt to protect himself from the truth, and she knew that he would find out what happened one way or another.

"How did you know something was wrong? I didn't hear anything," he asked first.

Hermione nodded. "I was walking by the front window to go upstairs to bed when I saw the lights and heard the sirens. I'm not sure why it didn't wake you, but I think it is best that it didn't. I grabbed some shoes and ran to your house, trying to help. It was too late, though…"

"What do you think happened?"

Hermione swallowed heavily. "From what I was told by the policeman in charge, they responded to neighbors calling in the argument. When the first policemen arrived, they heard a gunshot and went on in. According to them, your mother was standing over your father. They called out to her, and she turned around with her wand in hand. Then, she collapsed. Your father apparently shot her before she cursed him."

"She used her wand against him?" he asked, sounding surprised.

Hermione nodded. "Yes. When the aurors arrived, one of them spoke to the police officer some more. There were no marks on your father's body that they could see. They think your mum used a killing curse on him."

Severus looked down, "And the Prophet knows? That she… murdered him?"

Lucius spoke up then. "Yes. The Prophet knows. The aurors made it clear that they believed it to be self-defense, and they were planning to obliviate the police to confirm that and forget about the use of magic."

"Where are the bodies now?"

"Most likely at the morgue at St. Mungo's," Lucius said, quietly.

Severus nodded slowly. "I want to see her. I… I don't want to see him, but I want to see my mother."

Hermione grabbed his hand as she nodded. "Of course, Severus. If you are okay with it, Lucius and I can see to the funeral arrangements."

Severus nodded again. "I… I don't want them buried together. I don't want to go to his funeral."

"I'll ask my father if he wouldn't mind having Eileen laid to rest at the Malfoy graveyard, if you would like that," Lucius offered. "I have already been to see them, and they pass on their condolences." Hermione smiled at her husband, thankfully.

Severus nodded once more. "Thank you," he said, slowly. "My father… can we just have him cremated? I don't really care what happens to him, but I don't want to visit his grave. Ever."

"That can be done," Lucius said. "I will also have the house elves go to your home and get everything that belongs to you and your mother. Then, you won't have to go back there."

Severus sighed. "Where _will_ I go? An orphanage?"

Hermione felt tears falling down her cheeks. She squeezed his hands. "Severus, love, you will be staying with us. Your mother… she made me your magical guardian years ago. I insisted on it, just in case something ever happened to her. Even if your father had lived, you wouldn't have stayed with him. Severus, your mother did her very best to make sure you'd be taken care of."

Severus's started to cry silently as he looked at her, relief clear on his features. Then, he looked at Lucius, warily.

Lucius shook his head at the expression, "Of course you will stay with us. As if we would accept anything else..."

"But not here," Hermione said, quietly.

Severus and Lucius both looked at her, and Hermione nodded. "There is no good reason to be here, and it has more bad memories than good, perhaps. Once you had graduated, Lucius and I intended to move somewhere else anyway. We will sell this place and move somewhere that can be ours."

"Somewhere fresh," Severus whispered.

Hermione nodded. "Yes."

Lucius smiled gently. "I'll start looking for places immediately."

* * *

 **Author's Note** : So, since my husband has been back he has been taking a lot of time off of work. As a result, I have gotten barely any writing done since his return. I still have another chapter or two prepared, but anticipate being back to writing regularly this time next week when he starts back at work. Sorry to take away the light heartedness, but… this is not fluff.

To those wondering: no, this will not be abandoned. I think it will actually be finished within 10 to 15 more chapters. Then, the next project will hopefully begin.

Thanks for all of your wonderful reviews as, as always, for sticking with my flight of fancy. Please let me know your thoughts!


	26. Chapter 26

_Disclaimer: JK Rowling created and owns Harry Potter, but she is kind enough to let me write this for fun. I'll let you know if she decides to pay me._

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Twenty-six**

 _Pureblood Witch and Muggle Husband Murder Each Other_

 _Last night, in the sleepy industrial town of Cokesworth, a muggle man attacked his wife._

 _It is a story that is all too common within the muggle world, where domes-tic violence is widespread. What is not so common, perhaps, is when such violence takes away the life of a witch._

 _According to neighbors, Tobias Snape was a drunk who had become increasingly belligerent and violent since being fired. Unfortunately, his violence tended to come out against his wife and son._

 _Fifteen years ago, Eileen Prince was disowned by her pureblood family, when she became pregnant by Mr. Snape. They ran away together and got married in what, to outsiders, could be seen as a tale of true star crossed lovers._

 _Unfortunately, their tale was not so enchanting. Living in extreme poverty, Mr. Snape quickly proved himself to be a violent and controlling husband, and despite the pleas of the people that knew them, Mrs. Snape refused to leave him. Last night, that decision proved to be fatal._

 _Aurors say that muggle law enforcement (policemen) were called in late at night to investigate a loud argument between the couple. Upon arriving at the beleaguered home, the policemen heard the sound of a muggle weapon discharging. They burst into the house to see Mrs. Snape standing over the still body of her husband. Upon turning with wand in hand, she promptly collapsed to the floor. She had been most grievously injured by her husband's weapon, a gun, and she died within minutes._

 _Aurors have since taken over the investigation by obliviating the muggles involved, and they were kind enough to share more details._

" _Of course, we checked the last spells the wand had used. It had, apparently, been so long out of use that no spells showed up except the one that ended the life of Mr. Snape, the Killing Curse. Had Mrs. Snape survived the altercation, she would be presently sitting in Azkaban," Auron Kimmons stated._

 _Though the aurors reported that Mrs. Snape seemed to be acting in self-defense, one has to wonder as to why she chose_ that _curse. Also, why did she wait so long to act? A witch, with wand in hand, should easily be able to overpower a mere muggle. Why not disarm him? Stun him? Why allow over a decade of abuse?_

 _The use of a Killing Curse against a muggle is completely needless, as they lack the abilities to truly defend themselves when a witch or wizard is armed. For that reason, the Killing Curse used in self-defense is not applicable as a defense in court when the victim is muggle._

 _Even more saddening is the child left behind. Severus Snape, the son of the deceased, is due to start his fourth year in Slytherin house this year. His future already looks bright as he is known around the school for being a potions prodigy and near the top of all of his classes._

 _His head of house, Horace Slughorn said, "Severus is one of the most promising students I have ever seen. Already, he has patented his first potion. It is a tragedy what has happened to his family, and I wish we had been able to help him. I simply had no idea what his home life was like…"_

 _Our deepest sympathies are with the young Mr. Snape, and we wish him all the best in moving passed this horrible time in his life._

Lucius folded the paper and banished it to the trash can. Severus didn't need to read it. He was also sure that letters for Severus would soon come flocking in, and not all of it would be positive. He would need to redirect the mail and sort through it for whatever was worth reading. Severus needed to be kept away from this as much as possible for now. He stood from the table and walked into the living room where Severus and Hermione were playing a game of cards.

"Hera, after the funeral, how do you feel about going to Turkey?"

* * *

It was the next morning when Hermione's arm burned. She stood from her seat, throwing Lucius a look. He nodded at her as he cleared his throat. "Severus, are you interested in going to Hogsmeade? We can get most of what you need for the next school year there, and I can take care of the rest while you and Hera are in Turkey."

It had been decided that, after the funeral, Hermione and Severus would go to Turkey for the last few weeks of summer. Lucius was too busy with work to take more time off, and he thought it would be a good opportunity for Hermione to get Severus used to the idea of living with them.

Hermione nodded. "That sounds good. I have a meeting to get to as well," she added.

Severus slowly nodded, though he seemed to be able to tell that Lucius was trying to distract him. In order for Hermione to go anywhere for that period of time, it would be necessary that the Dark Lord know what was going on. The time for hiding Severus away had, unfortunately, come to an abrupt end. Considering she had already written Dumbledore with their plans, she just needed to inform the Dark Lord and get his approval before leaving again.

Hermione kissed both of them on the cheek before going toward the door, grabbing her dark cloak off of the coatrack.

Moments later, she was in the Dark Lord's foyer. She pulled the skeletal mask from her cloak's large pockets and had it in hand when the Dark Lord appeared. "That won't be necessary, Hera. This isn't a full meeting," he intoned.

The Dark Lord ushered her into his empty office and gestured to one of the chairs as he took his own.

"I received some rather interesting information today," he began. Hermione tried to keep her face neutral. There were a lot of things about her that the Dark Lord could be discovered, and she only intended for him to learn of one at the moment.

"Severus Snape, Hera. Would you like to tell me about him?"

She nodded. "Of course, my Lord. Severus is a student of mine and coincidentally lives in the same village. In the summer after his first year, shortly after moving in, I met him and his mother at a market. We struck up a relationship of sorts, and upon learning of her abusive marriage, I encouraged her to look into what would happen to Severus if she could no longer take care of him. I didn't know until after it was already done that she had named me to be Severus's magical guardian. He's in my custody now."

"And why was I not informed of this before?" he asked, still seeming calm.

She shrugged. "It didn't seem that important. He is a good student and a friend of sorts, but I had no way of knowing that I would have to actually take custody of him. While I am more than willing, it was just not something I anticipated. As to why I didn't tell you, he's a fourteen year old boy that still has another three years of school before graduating. I did not see him as being particularly useful to your cause at this time."

The Dark Lord frowned. "Should it not be my opportunity to decide who is and is not of worth to me?"

Hermione nodded. "Of course, my Lord, but you haven't shown interest in recruiting students. You even waited for Bellatrix to graduate before allowing her to become involved, and she was much older. None of my class was approached prior to graduation either."

"I read in the prophet that Horace Slughorn deems the boy to be a Potions prodigy," he returned, causing Hermione to frown.

"Yes. He is very talented in that field, though he still has much to learn. He helps me brew sometimes. As to his abilities to help you, though, Antonin and I can still do whatever he can at this point. It makes him obsolete for now."

The Dark Lord's frown slowly disappeared as he nodded. "And do you presume to tell me that, now that you are his guardian, you would prefer me not to recruit him?"

Hermione frowned at the question, aware that it was a test. "My Lord, our agreement was that you would not approach Lucius. I mentioned no others and will not go back on my word. My not telling you about Severus is merely because I don't see what use he could be to you for now. Honestly, if he knew what happened within the ranks at this point, I think it would scare him off. He is still a boy, and he is very much bothered by violence. Understandable, considering his background. With time, that will change. Upon graduating, I would highly encourage you to recruit him, but for now he would be scared and unable to do much help."

Voldemort was silent for a while before finally nodding. "Very well. I can, at least, expect that he will be raised to be respectful and be accepting of what needs to be done in time?"

Hermione nodded, giving an expression that seemed to say that anything other than that was not logical. "Yes, my Lord."

He sighed, "When is the funeral for his parents?"

"He has decided to have his father cremated and removed. Abraxas has offered up a plot on the family grounds for his mother as a favor to me. She will be buried tomorrow, though it is not a public event. Eileen had no friends, outside of myself, that I know of. I have made the Blacks and Lestranges aware, considering their sons are friends with Severus, but I have not received a response."

"Am I not allowed to come? Surely, it would be in my best interest to ingratiate myself to him early."

"You are, as always, welcome to come. It will be at two in the afternoon," she said, respectfully.

The Dark Lord stood, and Hermione did the same, recognizing the dismissal. "I will be there," the Dark Lord said, "and I will insure that the Black and Lestrange sons are in attendance as well, to support their friend."

Hermione nodded as they walked back to the foyer. "My Lord, I wish to ask for your blessing to miss any meetings until the school year starts again," she said, quietly.

"For what purpose?" he replied, angling an eyebrow upward. She rarely asked for favors, after all.

"The press's coverage on Severus's family tragedy has led to an influx of owls and attention that is sure to be hard on him. Lucius is looking for a new home for us now so that we don't have to be near to Severus's family home anymore. I was hoping to take Severus away to our new home in Turkey so that he can have a break from it all before starting school. He needs time to adjust to me being his guardian."

The Dark Lord was quiet for a few moments before nodding. "Very well. After September first, though, I will expect your regular attendance."

"Of course, my Lord. Thank you for your accommodation. I will be sure to let Severus know in the future how generous you have been in helping me to do what is best for him."

Voldemort smiled, looking pleased. "I will see you at the funeral, Hera."

* * *

"Are you packed?" Hermione asked, entering Severus's room at Malfoy Manor the next morning.

He nodded, turning from his bed to face her. His black funeral robes looked wonderful on him, bought in a rush from Madam Malkin by Adeline. At the same time, she hoped that he would never have to wear them again.

"Then, we will leave straight after the funeral and come back here a few days before term starts." She walked to Severus and hugged him tightly. He was stiff against her, but she knew it was nothing personal. He had been trying to stay composed with a strength that was admirable, even if unnecessary.

"I am sorry that this funeral isn't going to be all it should be, Severus. While I am more than happy to bring you into my family officially, I do not like that you will be more involved in other aspects of my life. Are you prepared?"

He nodded once more as they separated. "You are in mourning, so it won't look strange for you to be… aloof. Still, be respectful. Probably following the leads of Sirius, Regulus, and Rabastan will be a safe bet."

"I don't want them coming. They shouldn't meet him. They should stay away while they can," he muttered.

Hermione shrugged. "They already met him at my wedding, as well as Rodolphus's. They are in no more danger than you are, Severus. Just be respectful and don't look him in the eyes."

Severus didn't know she was a spy, of course, but he did know that her feelings about the Dark Lord were mixed at best. If Voldemort were to perform Legilimency on him, it would likely lead to a very dangerous meeting for her, perhaps her last.

Hermione grabbed her brother's arm and led him to the door of his bedroom and down the stairs. The Malfoys were standing at the front doors as they approached and Adeline hugged Severus while Hermione received a kiss from her husband.

"Let's go," Abraxas said, waving the doors open, "It is rude not to be present for the guests' arrival at the site."

"Who is coming?"

"Teachers from the school, mostly. Orion and Gerrick are both escorting their sons, and the Dark Lord of course will be here. I invited Morlin Prince, Eileen's father, but I received no response," he said, evenly.

Severus nodded, not expecting otherwise. Despite hearing that Abraxas had indeed spoken to Morlin about him, his grandfather had not communicated with him or his mother since. He didn't expect differently. "Thank you, sir," Severus said, calmly.

They walked across the grounds, passed the lake to a small grove of trees and headstones. Already, a hole was dug. "Severus, did you learn the spell required?" Abraxas said, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Severus nodded, "Yes. Thank you for the slate to practice with."

Abraxas smiled very slightly to the boy before raising his head to the crack of apparition. Gerrick and Rabastan walked the ten feet toward them and bowed in greeting. The Malfoy clan and Severus bowed back in response. "Mr. Snape, we are very sorry for the loss of your mother, a beloved child of magic," Gerrick said formally.

Severus cleared his throat before responding. "Thank you, Mr. Lestrange, for your condolences. May magic bless your family for honoring mine."

Rabastan nodded to his friend, looking appropriately sympathetic. "I'm sorry for your loss, Severus…" Gerrick put a hand on his son's shoulder and led him to the gravesite where they silently waited.

Several teachers arrived together, and the headmaster spoke for them all. Kindly, he and Professor Slughorn both personally offered to privately speak with Severus if he should ever need it. Horace, the only other teacher that had been on the staff when Eileen was at Hogwarts other than the headmaster, even mentioned Severus's mother, stating that while he didn't know her well, he was aware that she had been very talented in Herbology and was always very detail oriented in preparing ingredients for his class. Severus's eyes teared up for the first time as he thanked his professor. Dumbledore quipped that while he was sorry for the loss that he was proud to have known someone like Eileen, a woman able to find something worth loving in everyone she met, a trait not common within Slytherin house.

As the teachers joined the Lestrange's, the Blacks arrive. Sirius and Regulus stood on opposite sides of their father. "Mr. Snape, we are-"

"Merlin, Snape! I can't imagine how much this all sucks! I'm so sorry!" Sirius's voice was sincere but loud as he cut off his father's expected greeting. He was quickly hit on the back of the head by his father, and Regulus seemed to be trying to hide his reaction of amusement mixed with horror.

Hermione was pleased to see that Severus actually seemed to smile the slightest amount. "Thank you, Bla… Sirius, Mr. Black, Regulus, for coming. May magic bless your family for honoring mine."

"Were you very close with your mother?" Sirius asked. Orion sighed, looking at his son with exasperation.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Well, she was my mother, so there was certainly attachment there."

A look of grief, mostly personal, passed over Sirius's face as he nodded. "Right. Of course. Again… Severus, we are sorry about your mum."

Regulus nodded, "Yes, Sev. Please let us know if there is anything we can do."

Severus nodded as Orion put a hand on his boys' shoulders, gripping Sirius's so that the knuckles were turning white, as he steered them toward the gravesite, hissing furiously in Sirius's ear as he went. Severus's eyes hardened slightly at seeing how Orion obviously treated his son. Hermione smiled at seeing the solidarity between the two, and she was once again thankful for finding a reason for initiating the truce between them.

Severus and the Malfoys were still watching Orion walk with his sons when a voice cleared in front of them. They turned their gaze and, upon seeing the Dark Lord, Abraxas and Hermione bowed deeply. Severus looked slightly confused, doing a half bow before following Lucius and Adeline's lead and nodding respectfully.

"Mr. Snape," the Dark Lord said, voice filled with what sounded like sincere sympathy. "I am most sorry for the loss of your mother, a beloved child of magic."

"Thank you… Lor- sir," Severus began, voice cracking slightly. "May magic bless your family for honoring mine."

The Dark Lord nodded, looking slightly pleased as he continued. "Thank you for your courtesy, young Mr. Snape. Unfortunately, like you, I come from a bad home life. I have no family left now. Please do know that my door is open should you need another person that can intimately understand your position."

Hermione smiled, "Fortunately, my Lord, Severus will not have to cope with the same trials as we had. I will take very good care of him, and I will steer him in the right direction to make him great."

The Dark Lord's didn't look completely pleased in Hermione statement, but nodded anyway. "Of course. Ah, the headmaster and staff… I missed the opportunity to speak with them at your wedding as much as I would like, Hera. A most serendipitous moment during such a sad event."

Abraxas took a position next to the Dark Lord, keeping Adeline on his arm as he led the Dark Lord to the gravesite. Hermione and Lucius looked at Severus.

"Are you okay?"

Severus nodded, taking a deep breath and turning to walk to the gravesite. A final crack of apparition startled all three. They turned to see a very, very old man in a magical wheel chair, joined by a young healer in the deep purple that signified hospice care.

"Lord Prince!" Lucius said, bowing his head respectfully.

Hermione and Severus looked at Lucius before copying his stance.

The old wizard wheezed as he responded. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy… is this him?" he asked, looking Severus over.

Lucius nodded, placing a hand on Severus's shoulder. "Indeed. Severus, this is your grandfather, Lord Morlin Prince. Lord Prince, your grandson, Severus Snape."

Morlin coughed several times before speaking. "Mr… grandson, I am very sorry for the loss of your mother, a beloved child of magic."

Severus swallowed thickly as he responded. "Thank you, Lord Prince, may magic bless your family for honoring mine."

Morlin's voice raised an octave as he rasped, "I am not here to honor your father, boy."

Severus nodded, meeting his grandfather's eyes. "Good," he replied, coolly.

A look of approval crossed Morlin's features, and he moved his head in the direction of the gravesite, causing the healer to follow him.

"Why is he here?" Severus asked, quietly.

Hermione sighed, "Sometimes you don't know what you truly have lost until the chance to ever get it back is gone. Severus, he's a dying man. I expect his intentions are honorable."

Lucius and Hermione both walked with Severus to the plot, joining the crowd that was slightly larger than expected.

* * *

Leaving behind a gravesite with a beautiful new headstone carved by Severus's wand, the small funeral party made its way back to the manor and into the drawing room. House elves scrambled around with small trays of various finger foods and drinks. Hermione stayed at Severus's side the entire time.

Morlin wasted no time in approaching his grandson with less formal condolences. His voice was wheezing as he spoke whilst looking Severus over. "You look a good deal like her, you know? I once saw your father, and I am pleased to not be seeing him again in you."

Severus nodded, looking unsure as what to say. Hermione cleared her throat. "Lord Prince, thank you again for coming in support of Severus. I hope you realize that, while I may be his guardian, we would welcome you as family into our home should you and Severus wish to grow closer together."

Morlin coughed severely, shaking his head, and his nurse reached out a small handkerchief, wiping a bit of what seemed to be blood from his chin. When she pulled away, looking down, Morlin spoke again. "I fear that my… anger very nearly outlasted me. I should have reached out sooner to you, Severus, but I was unsure how to even begin having a relationship with you or rebuilding one with Eileen when she refused to leave Tobias. I wrote her many times, do you know?"

Severus shook his head, looking skeptical.

Morlin smiled grimly as he reached within a pocket of his robes, pulling out several pictures. He handed them to Severus, whose eyes widened. Hermione glanced over Severus's shoulder to see several photos of Severus at various ages, including one that Hermione was fairly sure was taken at the end of Severus's first year.

"Your mother," Morlin wheezed, "was a stubborn woman. She wanted her family to work more than anything, I think. While she impressed that things were not as good as she had hoped, she said she would stay with Tobias through it all. I… I didn't know how bad things were or I _would_ have stepped in. I should have done anyway…" Morlin coughed again.

"I am only here thanks to an unhealthy cocktail of potions that I will, at least, regret deeply at a later time. I've been in my bed for the past three months, and I have no hopes of getting better. I wanted to come though and let you know that you weren't… forgotten. That even though I was angry with Eileen… I asked her to come home several times. And I have cared about you. I sent her money for your school books. She wouldn't accept much, though… proud woman."

Severus nodded, looking regretful of an opportunity missed. "I never knew that she sent letters to you. I thought you had just… abandoned her."

Morlin laughed, though it sounded bitter. "I practically did. I should have been more insistent; I should have approached you regardless of her wishes. As it stands… you are not abandoned. We are the last living of our line, Severus. My wife and your uncle both died within the past five years. You will receive everything we have upon my death. And, while not much, I have had commissioned paintings done of myself and your grandmother. You can get to know a bit of us that way. I… hope you will."

Severus looked a bit teary at this point, and Hermione reached out to grab his hand. "I… can I come to visit before…"

Morlin looked at his nurse, and she frowned sadly as she took her head. "My mind is going now. It really is only potions that have me in this fit of shape. I'll be dead within days, Severus, and I implore you not to go to my funeral. You've had enough these past few weeks and boys your age should not concern themselves with the mortality of foolish, old men."

Hermione squeezed Severus's hand, feeling him lean a bit more against her side. "Yes, grandfather."

Morlin smiled, weakly, nodding. "Mrs. Malfoy, from what I have heard, I could not ask for a better guardian for my grandson. And, Severus, I am sure you will be make our house proud. Thank you for so graciously accepting me here, despite not receiving notice."

Severus shook his head, "Thank you for coming, sir. And… and I hope you get the chance to make amends with my mum in the next life."

"It is my greatest wish. You'll receive the details of how to get to Prince Manor soon, I am sure. Goodbye, my boy."

The weak, old man nodded once more before looking at his nurse who also nodded respectfully before guiding his hovering chair toward the exit.

Severus watched him until he was out of sight and then sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry, Severus," Hermione said, inwardly hoping that the young Snape would get a break sometime soon.

Severus turned to look at her, shaking his head. "I'm not… If Abraxas hadn't invited him, or if he hadn't come… I think I would have hated him for abandoning my mum like that until I died. He… he at least tried. I don't know why she didn't tell me."

Hermione pulled Severus to herself and hugged him deeply. "Your mother was afraid, Severus… she probably worried that your grandfather would try to take you away. Her first reaction when I spoke to her about what would happen if something should happen to her was to think that _I_ was trying to take you. She loved you fiercely, and while she could have done things better… don't let that love for you be tarnished by her mistakes."

Severus started to reply when a voice broke in. "Mr. Snape, again, let me offer my condolences."

Hermione pulled away from Severus as their gazes turned toward the Dark Lord. "Thank you, sir," Severus said, quietly.

Hermione cleared her throat, throwing a look at Severus. "Thank you for coming, _my Lord,"_ she said, glancing at Severus as she spoke the Dark Lord's preferred address.

Voldemort nodded at her lightly, "Miss Elias, pardon me… Mrs. Malfoy is a valuable friend for you to have, young Severus. I am sure she will steer you in the right direction."

"Yes, my Lord, I am sure she will," Severus said, gaining a look of approval that set his teeth on edge.

"I was told you will be going to Turkey for the next few weeks until school starts. I think that will be a good opportunity for you. Hera, has Lucius found a home for you yet?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not yet, my Lord. He will be looking while we are away, but it is not a major issue until the holidays. We will all be at Hogwarts until then."

"Do you intend to have the baby at the school?"

"I hope to deliver at St. Mungo's, but I do plan to teach up until the birth. Albus has kindly agreed to take on my classes once I have the baby until I am ready to return."

"Most generous," the Dark Lord replied. "Very well. I wish you both safe travels. Mr. Snape, I am sure we will see a lot more of each other in the future."

"Thank you, my Lord," Severus said, inclining his head respectfully.

After he had left, Hermione exhaled slowly. "You did good, Severus."

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews! This story has picked up a lot of new readers lately, and I am happy to have all of you and receive your feedback. A guest asked if Dobby might be making an appearance. The answer to that is "no". Personally, I was never a huge fan of Dobby. He annoyed me so much in Heir of Slytherin that I never got over it. There WILL be Kreacher, though…. But not to a large extent. Please keep reading and sharing your thoughts with me… or your friends.

Also, just as I have received several reviews that seem sorry for not reviewing until recently: I totally get picking up a story that is already upward of 50 chapters in and getting in "the zone". When new chapters are waiting, it's easier to hit "next". Especially if you are into it. Don't feel bad for not reviewing yet, whatever and whenever you write will be welcome.


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I thought that by writing 300K words of fanfiction, the rights to Harry Potter would magically be transferred to me. Would you believe that I was _wrong?_ It's still JK Rowling's, and I haven't even been given the knut to call my own.

 **The Bond Servant**

 **Chapter Twenty-seven**

Immediately following the funeral and wake, Hermione and Severus made their way back to Kalkan via floo. The journey made Hermione rather exhausted, but she didn't want to abandon Severus right after arriving.

They were both surprised to see that the home was already refurnished, and a note had been left for them on the table from Lucius that explained he had had a company buy furniture for the time being that could easily be replaced with pieces that they preferred.

Curiously, they set off to explore the house and quickly came upon the bedroom that was obviously intended for Severus. The room was made up of lighter seafoam greens and greys that complimented the beachy feel of the home while still paying homage to Severus's house colors.

They stood in the doorway of the room, looking around for several minutes in silence.

Severus sighed, and Hermione put an arm around his waist. "Severus?"

He walked into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "I feel… guilty because it seems like I should just feel bad, but a part of me is not. Part of me looks around and thinks how nice it will be to have a room of my own with nice things that won't be destroyed because he is angry. And that makes me happy because I won't ever have to deal with or see what he does ever again. But then… my mother is dead. It's wrong, isn't it?"

Hermione walked in as well, leaning against one of the bedposts. "I can't say I have been in your situation and very few people can say that they have. I think that that is normal though. It is true that you don't have to worry about being hurt or hit by Lucius and me… or his parents, for that matter. I think it is completely expected for you to be relieved, and I think it is also expected for you to be relieved that you don't have to see your father again."

Severus was quiet for a few moments before nodding, "I suppose that is true. I'm not really… happy, but I am relieved. I still… I'm glad she won't have to deal with him anymore, too, but I am so angry at her for not leaving. For keeping me there, too…"

He leaned back on the bed, looking up at ceiling. "I think I want to just rest for a while, if that's okay?"

Hermione smiled sadly as she walked toward the door. "I'll be in our room napping. It's at the end of the hall. Make sure I am awake for dinner, okay?"

Severus only nodded, keeping his gaze on the ceiling. Hermione gently closed his door.

* * *

For the next three and a half weeks, Hermione and Severus spent their time trying to relax at their new home in Turkey. Three days after their arrival came notice from Gringotts that Morlin Prince had died with paperwork for Severus to sign. After a few signatures, he was the heir to a noble house. He was given access to the vaults and informed that the family homes were all accessible to him should he choose to floo to their addresses.

Severus's moods were ever fluctuating. He would be joyously kayaking in the sea one moment and then seem to catch himself being happy before withdrawing.

Hermione was, unfortunately, quite accustomed to such behavior. She and her friends were no strangers to guilt and grief. She did her best to be patient with Severus and give him space when he needed it, and they fell into a rather regular routine.

Severus had discovered a love of scuba diving after the first week. While still a novice and only going out with groups, he had started to collect samples of ocean plants for potions experiments. Hermione would wait for him in a comfortable chair on the shore with a book, considering her pregnancy and the risks involved in scuba diving to the baby.

With all of their time in the sun, they had both become quite tan. While it was not strange to see Hermione with a sunny glow to her skin, it was definitely not what she envisioned when she thought of Severus Snape.

It suited him, though. The time in the sun had darkened his skin and lightened his hair a few shades. His coloring was now something rather similar to Sirius and Regulus. His hair was now a dark brown and with the frequent inundation of salt water, its oily texture was becoming something of the past. While still board straight, it was thicker and looked fuller. His skin tanned nicely, and proved that her own potions master had simply not spent much time in the sun. Of course, depression often led to people hiding out in the dark, a place better suited to their mood.

Lucius would come on the weekends, and when he arrived the three would set to redesigning the home. While they had been pleased by the colors of the coastal home, the style of furniture had needed to change.

After three weekends of having specialists in and out to help with modifying the home, the newest Malfoy family was very happy with the finished project.

Lucius had been working to find a permanent home for them in England as well, but so far had not found something to satisfy him. They both reasoned that it was not a particular rush. Lucius was welcome to live in Hermione's quarters at Hogwarts, and Severus could stay with them there during the holidays as well if he wished.

Until they found a house to their liking, their things had been moved by the elves into storage in one of the many unused rooms of Malfoy Manor.

And so it was that during the last week of August, Severus and Hermione packed their things and flooed back to the Malfoy ancestral home.

The next day, Hermione would have to leave for Hogwarts, and Severus would spend the rest of the week with Lucius's family. Lucius had already volunteered to take him shopping for any necessary school things would see him off to the Hogwarts Express.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione stood at the floo in Abraxas's study, preparing to leave for Hogwarts. Dumbledore had already arranged for her new quarters to allow floo access from either her or Lucius. Guests would have to come in through Hogwarts gates.

She watched Severus walk into the room, looking slightly more morose than expected. Of course, he was still grieving, but he seemed particularly sullen.

"Severus?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes as he walked to her, holding out a book. "I don't think you'll be needing this anytime soon, but I have finished it, so best to return it to you now since I will really only be seeing you in classes until the holidays."

Hermione's eyes softened a bit as she laughed, reaching out to pull him into her side. "First off, thanks. Second, you are ridiculous."

He frowned, and the expression looked so familiar to his counterpart that she chuckled again. "I am your guardian, Severus. Furthermore, I see us having much more interaction now. The Dark Lord and the rest of the wizarding world know of your position in our family, and I fully intend to exploit that. You will have rooms in my quarters on the weekends should you wish it, though I am not sure how much you will want to. None of the other teachers have children that live with them, so you might feel a bit out of place. That doesn't mean I wouldn't love to have you though. Outside of that, I will be expecting your help to prepare my rooms for the baby's arrival."

Lucius walked in as Hermione put the returned book in her bag. "All packed and ready to go, love?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. Do you have work today?"

Lucius looked at Severus. "I actually took the day off. I was hoping Severus would agree to just make a day of his school shopping. Seeing as I will mostly be at Hogwarts for a few meals and to sleep, I won't get to spend as much time with you two as I would like. What do you say, Sev?"

Severus smiled lightly and nodded, seeming happier than he had moments before.

Hermione smiled at her two men and kissed each of their cheeks. "I'll send along a house elf to pick up my things in a few minutes. Albus said that with full time one would be assigned to me. I'd best be going. Keep an eye out for a nice rocking chair for me to use with the baby?"

Lucius and Severus nodded as one, and Hermione stepped back. "Okay, then, I'll be seeing you tomorrow evening, Sev. And Lucius, tomorrow night, okay?"

"Of course, love. I'll make sure he gets to the express on time."

Hermione nodded as she reached for the jar and threw some floo powder into the fire. A moment later, she was gone.

* * *

Severus and Lucius walked together down Diagon Alley, on their way to Fortescues for some ice cream. Severus had needed some more casual clothes to go underneath his robes, and Lucius had provided more than enough.

"I'll pay you back," Severus said, quietly.

Lucius shook his head. "As Hera is my wife, and she is your guardian… I kind of am, too, right? We are happy to provide whatever you need for Hogwarts."

They walked through the small gate into the outdoor seating for the ice cream shop and took a seat. A moment later, a bubbly girl approached and took their order.

"Excited to return to Hogwarts, Severus?" Lucius asked once the server had left.

Severus shrugged, and then rolled his eyes upon catching Lucius's raised eyebrow.

"I enjoy learning, and I have always been happy to go to Hogwarts in the past but… now…"

"Now?"

"Now everyone knows my parents killed each other. I'm… well, Slytherin has a certain reputation for wealth, and I've always lacked that. But… I don't think I was pitied. Now, everyone will know my background. They'll know I was poor and abused and my parents…"

Lucius nodded, "Yes. They will know those things. But, I encourage you to look at it in a more positive light. You have a rare opportunity that few of your housemates share, I expect. You have overcome a lot of horrible things. Despite not having the wealth many of your friends have, you are more intelligent and have accomplished more than they have. You are self made and success made is always seen as better than success freely given."

Severus looked down at the table, shoulders hunched.

"Severus, you can allow this to break you…. Or you can allow it to make you stronger. Become so great that people might initially see this as something you are living through… and then have them forget it to all of your accomplishments. Become bigger than your story."

The waitress returned with their ice creams, and they ate quietly for a few minutes.

"Are you upset about Hera being my guardian now? You had just… I know you weren't planning on having a teenager to deal with for a while."

Lucius snorted, "Well, we kind of went into the marriage with the expectation of not being alone for long, didn't we? In all seriousness, though, you were already a part of the family before we got married. Making it official doesn't bother me in the least. And Hera already had refused to leave Cokesworth before you graduated, so it isn't like we wouldn't have seen a lot of you regardless."

Severus's lips quirked. "Really?"

Lucius took a bit of his ice cream and shrugged. "I would have thought that was obvious."

"Well, I just don't want to be… interloping," he said, quietly.

Lucius laughed at that. "You are our friend, Severus. I'll admit that I can see you are closer to her than you are to me. The two of you have a connection that I can't pretend to grasp. I understand better than anyone else how much you love her, though… and I cannot imagine wanting her not having as many people in her corner as she can get. She needs you as much as you need her, even if it doesn't always feel that way."

"Still…"

"Severus, stop. Stop questioning your worth or how much you are cared about. We want you in our family, and I hope that this will only lead to all of us becoming closer. And… be confident! Being confident is half the work in getting where you need to go. You are going to be great."

* * *

"This year, I am pleased to announce that Professor Hermione Malfoy will be joining us as the permanent teacher of all seven years as Dueling Instructor! While I have enjoyed teaching the older years, I am sure that I will not be overly missed," Dumbledore said.

His announcement was greeted by a rather loud round of applause that caused Hermione to flush in pleasure. She had been partially worried about her older students. Would they wish to return to having her when the great Albus Dumbledore had been their instructor for the past year or longer?

Still, regarding the looks on the students' faces, her fears seemed to be unfounded.

Her eyes naturally looked over her most familiar students. Black and Lupin clapped enthusiastically, and Potter did not seem disgruntled by the news. Pettigrew looked slightly put off, but she was relatively sure that he could sense her natural dislike of him. They were always on their toes around each other.

Severus, Regulus, and Rabastan clapped enthusiastically from their seats next to a politely smiling Narcissa Black and Thomas Greengrass.

Dumbledore continued the new staff introductions, which included the new somewhat unassuming Professor Doherty, the new DADA instructor. Hermione didn't remember ever hearing anything about the man and didn't intend to spend much time with him. He'd only be here for a year anyway.

She was seated next to Filius for the feast, and the short statured professor was kind enough to catch her up on his life. He had been meeting for occasional meals or tea with Antonin, and he said that he quite liked the man Dolohov was shaping up to be. He also told Hermione that he had heard Antonin was quite enamored with a girl he had met, but Antonin had not shared any extra details on the subject with his new mentor. It was news to Hermione for Antonin to be meeting any girl for more than a few dates, and she was quite looking forward to questioning him about it.

After the meal, Hermione quickly made her way to her quarters, eager for Lucius to arrive. She had been working hard to prepare their new "home" as much as possible, and she hoped that it would be okay with Lucius. Albus had, very thoughtfully, attached two small additional rooms to her own for the use of Severus and the baby. While the baby's room was still mostly empty, she had started knitting a blanket that sat on top of a small end table in a corner. A mixture of warm coral colors, she was quite pleased with the turn out so far.

The rest had been largely moved around by her new house elf with her instruction. Petri was eager to please, as seemed to be all houseelves (outside of Kreacher), and seemed to greatly enjoy moving things at his new mistress's whim.

She was just about to put on a pot of tea when the floo turned green and her husband walked gracefully out of the fireplace. She felt a half second of frustration at his seeming ability to constantly move gracefully, even where most others would fumble horribly. Of course, she had never been the most graceful of creatures, nowhere near approaching Malfoy standards at least, but the larger her stomach grew, the more she stumbled about.

"Hello, love," he greeted, crossing the room into the small open kitchen and kissing her on the lips.

She smiled, putting her arms around his waist. "Welcome home, Lucius," she whispered to him.

He chuckled gently, nodding his head. "It is a bit strange to be back at Hogwarts… that and I am sleeping with one of the professors!"

She laughed in response, putting her hands to her stomach. "You did a lot more than just sleep with me, Mr. Malfoy. I'm afraid I am going to have to give you eighteen plus years of parenting as punishment."

"So strict, Professor!"

"Is that backtalk?"

Their gentle teasing was interrupted by a knock on the door. Frowning, Hermione walked to the entrance and opened it to see Professor McGonagall standing there with Severus at her side. Severus's eyes were bloodshot, and the Transfiguration professor looked incredibly angry.

"Professor? Is there a problem?" Hermione asked. She felt Lucius come up to stand behind her, obviously wondering what was going on.

"Professor Malfoy, Mr. Malfoy, I am afraid we have already had an altercation this evening as a few students were walking back to their dorms. Your ward was involved, and I thought it best to bring him here?"

Hermione's eyebrows raised, and she glanced at Lucius. Her husband seemed to be studying Severus's face for signs of guilt. Severus was very rarely in any sort of trouble, and with time he had become very difficult to provoke to anger or vengeance.

"What happened exactly? And, forgive me, what is the protocol with disclipinary action when the parent or guardian is in residence at the castle? Is it normal to seek me out like this?"

The professor shook her head briskly and raised her hand to put it on Severus's shoulder. "No, no, Hera, you misunderstand. Severus did nothing wrong. He was verbally assaulted by another student tonight, and I thought he might like to come here to cool off. He agreed. He is not in any kind of trouble."

Hermione nodded, feeling the beginnings of anger on Severus's behalf stir within her. "Please, Professor McGonagall, Severus, come on in."

They walked in, and Hermione watched as Severus's eyes moved around the visible areas. "Severus, do you plan to go back to the dormitories tonight?"

Severus was quiet for a moment, and eventually responded by shaking his head.

"Very well. We will talk to Professor McGonagall while you go and get cleaned up before bed. We will have a cup of tea before going to sleep, alright?" At his nod, she pointed to the door that led to his bedroom there, and he wordlessly walked out.

"Professor, would you like a cup of tea?" Lucius offered.

"No, no, I won't be staying long. I still need to go speak to the new first year Gryffindors," she responded.

Motioning a hand toward the sofa and chairs, Lucius led the older lady to a chair before sitting with Hermione on the couch.

"What happened?" Hermione said, skipping preamble.

"Well, I was trying to save time tomorrow by running to my office for some school maps in my cat form. The boys didn't even notice me there."

Hermione and Lucius did not offer anything except for looks of expectation, so Minerva sighed and launched into her chair.

 _Minerva, privately, hated the sorting feast. She was always very antsy the first night the students were back, and she couldn't help but look at the students and wonder how time would warp them. She had already seen how ideology could corrupt even the most tender and young at heart._

 _It was for this reason that she usually ran quickly back to her office for a quick nip of scotch before going to formally introduce herself to Gryffindor's youngest members. The slight buzz always seemed to soften her bitterness at how easily the innocent would be corrupted in the years that followed. And the world was growing more and more unfriendly, as Hera Elias had bluntly informed the Order of the Phoenix._

 _She ran quickly by Professor Sprout, giving a soft meow in greeting as she hurried by._

 _She was just turning the corner onto the corridor that housed her office when she heard it._

" _Snape. Eventful summer, I hear."_

" _Yeah, Snivellus. You had quite the vacation, didn't you?" Peter Pettigrew chimed in._

" _Come on, James. Leave him alone and let's head up," she heard Remus Lupin's voice say in response, wavering slightly._

" _Just a moment, Remus. I want to pass on my condolences," James said. Minerva moved into an alcove where she could see, intending to watch for a moment to decide if it was something they could resolve on their own._

" _Potter, just let us through. You go to your common room, and we will go to ours," said Rabastan. He and Regulus were flanking Severus, who was trying to look anywhere but at James Potter._

 _Minerva had, of course, heard about the poor boy's parents. It honestly made her wonder how many students came from those sorts of backgrounds with her not knowing a thing of it. She had resolved before the school year started to find some time to meet with all of her Gryffindors before Christmas in a one on one setting. Her fellow heads had jumped on the idea, none faster than Horace Slughorn. The potions master's guilt over not noticing the signs of abuse was staggering._

 _Opposite the Slytherins, about 5 feet away, stood Potter, Pettigrew, Lupin, and Black. The first two had malicious smirks on their faces, while the latter seemed unsure and worried with the confrontation. Between the two groups, looking anxiously back and forth between them, stood Lily Evans and Marlene McKinnon._

" _James, please, we are prefects this year. McGonagall will expect us to be at the common room when she arrives. We need to hurry," Lily pleaded, taking a slight step toward James._

" _It's no use Lily," Severus said, looking at his old, somewhat distant friend, "He will say what he wants to say. Out with it, Potter."_

 _James tutted, twirling his wand between his fingers. "I don't know why Lily insists on trying to be friends with you, Severus. You barely talk to her anymore, yet somehow she just_ can't _stop seeking you out. And now Sirius, too. Do you slip them potions to be able to tolerate you."_

" _Hey!" Sirius started, but James turned to his side, raising an eyebrow at his friend. Sirius clenched his jaw but resumed his silence._

 _James turned his attention back to Severus, stepping forward to be within a few feet of the other boy. "You know, Snape, I truly just wanted to pass on my condolences. I read about your mother. A shame what can happen when you run off with someone not worthy of you and get knocked up. I bet she was even more disappointed when she saw you…"_

 _Minerva watched Severus tense, but he continued to be silent._

" _I mean, truly, I can't blame her for fighting to the death with your nasty muggle father rather than risk having to spend any more time with you as a son. It's a wonder she didn't drop you at an orphanage years ago. How is it there, by the way? In a place surrounded by other people whose mums didn't give a shite about them?"_

 _Minerva was so shocked by the cruel words that, for a moment, she couldn't even react. She saw that Peter Pettigrew was sniggering behind his hand, and the rest were looking upon James in shock and anger. One person was not so slow to respond, though. A beam of light hit James Potter, flinging him roughly into a wall. All of the spectators, including Severus, seemed shock to see Sirius Black with his wand still aimed in the direction of James from behind, face angry and showing not an ounce of regret._

 _James sat up slowly, groaning as he looked at Sirius with betrayal._

" _You miserable bleeding arsehole! How is it possible that your mother can give a shite about_ you _when you spend most of your time thinking of ways to embarrass and torment people?! Some of us don't have the spoiled homelife you are so ungratefully given! Some of us would tear our right arms off to have a mum that would defend us to the death, and you take it for granted and_ mock _people when their loved ones are killed?!"_

 _James was looking at Sirius in shock, and started to shake his head, but Sirius sneered, jabbing his wand in James's direction again._

" _You are so concerned with Lily liking you that you think this is the way to go about it? Well, it hasn't worked. She doesn't like you. And now, well, now I don't either! And just to be clear, it is obvious to anyone with eyes who is the better friend between the two of you. I've been an idiot not to see it before."_

 _He shot another curse at James, causing his teeth to start to fall out of his mouth._

 _Minerva quickly stepped out of the alcove then, transforming rapidly into her human form._

" _Potter! Black!"_

 _Potter was picking his teeth up off of his lap and the floor, keeping his mouth closed so as not to lose anymore. Sirius instantly lowered his wand, glancing at the older Professor before narrowing his glaring at James once more._

" _You two and Snape will stay here. The rest of you to your common rooms! Now!"_

 _The group scattered, leaving the three boys. Minerva looked at Severus who was watching Sirius with a look of wonder on his face. Minerva then glanced at Sirius herself, feeling a rush of house pride. It was, indeed, a much braver thing to stand up to your friends than to stand up to foes._

 _James tried to speak, though it only succeeded in another two teeth tumbling from his mouth._

" _You can save your stories as to what happened here as I had the displeasure to witness it from near the beginning, Potter," Minerva said, leveling a glare at her prefect._

" _Potter- I will admit that I thought I had seen the worst cruelty that could be inflicted with words alone, but I was very much mistaken. If you had made the mistake of actually cursing Mr. Snape, I would see you expelled this night and gleefully escort you home myself. Fortunately for you, Mr. Black chose to step in and give you a small amount of the punishment you deserve for saying such_ disgusting _things. I will have to think of what shall be done with each of you, so at this moment you will go to my office and wait for me there. Not a word is to be spoken between you, am I clear?"_

" _Professor, Sirius just-"_

" _Mr. Snape, I realize that Mr. Potter deserved what he got, but at the same time, it was not Mr. Black's place to do so. Cursing another students, and from behind especially,_ will _warrant a punishment. Potter, Black- go."_

 _James helplessly held out his hands, showing the smattering of collected teeth in a plea to go to the hospital wing._

" _You are in no pain, Potter. My office. Hopefully, you will not have as much trouble keeping your mouth shut while you wait for me to arrive."_

 _The two boys walked off, and Minerva walked toward Severus. "Come."_

Hermione could feel herself shaking with anger. How was it possible that her sweet friend Harry Potter had come from that cretin?! "And they are in your office?" she asked, voice deathly quiet.

Minerva nodded once. "Yes. I thought you would want to know and perhaps have… input into appropriate punishment."

Hermione felt a thrill rush through her before clearing her throat and responding. "Well, I assume you will be letting Charlus know?"

"Of course. I think I will call him and Dorea in for this one. I have never been so disgusted in the behavior of one of my own students before. I also intend to rename this year's Gryffindor prefect. I think naming James was… hasty."

Hermione nodded. "As much as I would love to give him hard detentions, with my position as Severus's guardian, I worry it would be perceived as unfair. I'm not sure if I _could_ be fair to be honest."

Minerva nodded. "Very well. Perhaps I will put him with Horace and myself for a few weeks. The castle is still maintained well enough after the summer that he wouldn't be much actual use to Argus."

"That sounds acceptable, Minerva. And Sirius?"

Minerva sighed. "I can't just excuse his breaking the rules… and cursing his friend from behind _was_ bad form."

"Perhaps I could run _his_ detentions for you?"

Minerva looked at Hermione seriously, seeing that the other teacher was obviously not truly upset with Black.

"Very well. Twenty points lost and a week?" she inquired.

Hermione nodded.

"And Severus… is there anything I can do?"

"You can make it apparent to Mr. Potter that Severus _is not_ living at an orphanage. Let him know just who is looking out for Severus now. Though he might come to the same conclusion after his next dueling class…"

Minerva contemplated Hermione's words before finally nodding. "Very well. I need to get to my office. I apologize again for Mr. Potter's words…"

Lucius sighed, "Unfortunately, it is something only he can fix himself, I think. You are not to blame, Professor."

"Agreed," Hermione said, calmly, casting a look toward Severus's room.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Severus came out of his room with damp hair and a pair of pajamas on. He wordlessly sat down across from Hermione and Lucius.

"The rooms seem… nice. The headmaster gave you a lot of room," he commented.

Lucius nodded, shrugging. "Well, it is needed. The two of us and two kids soon."

Severus looked at Lucius thoughtfully for another moment before nodding in return. He then caught Hermione's look.

"I'm okay, Hera. I promise. I mean… what he said was…"

"Horrible," Hermione interjected, feeling the anger rising in her once more.

"Do you know what is going to happen to them? Sirius didn't really… I mean, he cursed Potter, but…"

Hermione smiled. "Sirius will be serving detention with me. I thought we could use the time to go over his shield charms. They should be much stronger, but he focuses too much on the offensive spells. I'm very proud of him."

Severus frowned, "Did McGonagall-"

"Professor McGonagall," Lucius and Hermione chimed in; Lucius throwing a teasing look at his wife. She rolled her eyes, and so did Severus.

"Fine. Did Professor McGonagall mention everything that was said?"

"Mostly," Hermione said, pouring three cups of tea from the table between them. "She didn't rehash it verbatim."

"I think that… I think Sirius might have similar issues at home that I did. His mother… Regulus has said some things, but tonight Sirius seemed angry on his own behalf, too. Mad that James has parents that _love_ him. I haven't really seen much of Mrs. Black, but his father doesn't seem too nice."

Hermione sighed, "No, Orion is not a nice man. I don't think he is as bad as his wife is, though. He seems to just go along with it."

"Can you… does he know he can reach out? What if it gets too bad?" Severus said, worriedly.

Hermione smiled at Severus, seeing that he was finally seeing Sirius as an ally, and even more… a friend. "I have said as much, but I will reiterate again that he can come to us."

"Okay. Listen… I think I am going to go on back to the common room. I don't want them to think that I can't handle Potter's words."

Hermione was about to protest, but Lucius put a hand on her arm. "Sounds like a good idea. Dinner this Saturday here? You can tell us how the first week goes."

Severus stood up and summoned his robe from his room. Swiftly pulling it on, he nodded. "Sounds good. I'll see you in class, Hera."

"Professor Malfoy!" Lucius teased. Severus and Hermione rolled their eyes once more.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Wow, writing has really been ultra slow lately. I have less than 10K words ahead, so I am going to start giving myself a full week rather than 5 or 6 days. If I push myself too hard, I'll get frustrated and rush through which would be horrible at this time as very little is "filler". Thanks for your reviews! Keep them coming and tell me what you think!_


	28. Chapter 28

_The A.A.N (Apologetic Author's Note:) So, it has obviously been a very long time since I last updated. It had been difficult to find time to write with my husband newly home, but just as I was getting into it, I got to a certain point in the planned outline that, for personal reasons, was incredibly difficult to write. I stopped writing for a while. When I started again, I tried to change the outline to avoid the topic, but it just wasn't coming out right from there. So, I deleted almost everything I had and went with the original plan. I wish I could say that this is as good as I planned for it to be, but I glossed over some things that were still a bit too hard to focus on too much. I truly have done my best. Finally, I pushed through and this fic is_ **completely finished,** _including epilogue. Well, aside from grammar and spell checking, which is a breeze. I will now update regularly every three or four days, and I look forward to what any of you have to say. I hope I haven't lost the interest of too many of you. And again, I am sorry for the unexpected, entirely too long delay in finishing. Enjoy the final 13!_

 **Chapter 28 –** I don't own or profit from Harry Potter. JK Rowling does.

The next morning at breakfast, the news of James Potter's confrontation with Severus Snape was all over the school. Severus, Regulus, and Rabastan were seated in their usual spots, trying to ignore the whispers.

James and Peter were seated on the opposite side of the Gryffindor table, talking quietly to each other.

Hermione watched as the hall silenced when Remus Lupin and Sirius Black walked in. The doors had barely shut behind them when Sirius stopped, whispering to his friend. Remus shook his head frantically, looking as if he was pleading for a moment. Then, Sirius shrugged and pointedly started to walk to the Slytherin table, receiving apathetic nods from the snake house as he walked by them. Remus watched him go, looking as if he was struggling with what to do.

The hall watched eagerly as Sirius confidently walked to the table and stood next to the empty spot at Rabastan's side. "Can I sit here?" Hermione saw him mouth.

The three Slytherin's seemed surprised, and the two third years looked at Severus who, after a moment, nodded, gesturing to the seat. As Sirius sat, the buzz in the hall grew louder, but the newest quartet ignored them, talking amongst themselves.

Remus finally started to move, with a few long looks toward the Slytherin table, toward the Gryffindor table and pointedly sat on his own, despite James and Peter beckoning him.

Flitwick, to Hermione's right, clapped quietly in delight. "Well, that's something I never thought I'd see! A Gryffindor sitting at Slytherin table!"

Hermione smiled, seeing that Severus was engaged in conversation with Sirius, pointing at a textbook as they looked at it together. "A most welcome change," she said, feeling a bit of house pride well up within her.

* * *

After the first day of classes had concluded, Hermione walked from dinner to her classroom for her first scheduled detention with Sirius Black.

She knew that McGonagall had passed on the news, but she had not spoken to Sirius in a personal capacity yet. She had seen him in class, though.

Apparently, word had circulated that Severus Snape was most certainly not living in an orphanage but, instead, was in the custody of Professor Hera Malfoy. When she had walked into the fourth year classroom, before James had arrived, she noticed that the room was a bit more silent than she had come to expect from her students in general. In fact, everyone seemed to be glancing between her and the door as they whispered amongst themselves.

James and Peter walked in shortly before class was due to start. It was apparent James had been informed of Severus's circumstances because he seemed a bit pale and sickly looking as he met Hermione's gaze. She frowned, raising an eyebrow and pointing her wand at him. Then, she quickly used it to point to an empty desk. "Mr. Potter. Mr. Pettigrew. Yours seats please."

They both nodded quickly, taking their seats.

Class passed without issue, and Hermione made sure to ignore James as much as possible. She was sure that McGonagall and Slughorn would make his detentions hard enough, and she believed that Charlus would be less than pleased as well.

Strangely though, as the class ended, James stayed.

For several minutes after everyone was gone, Hermione remained at her desk, looking over papers. It was after she couldn't stand him staring at her any more that she spoke, keeping her gaze down.

"Mr. Potter. What do you need?"

"Professor, I wanted to apologize for…"

Hermione's head whipped up to glare at him, and he silenced immediately.

"Mr. Potter, did I treat you unfairly in class today?"

"No, professor," he said, shaking his head.

"So I did not dock points, glare, belittle, or refuse you the same amount of instruction as your peers?"

"No, but-"

"In that case, Mr. Potter, unless you have a question about my subject, you can address your school concerns to your head of house."

James flushed red, looking at his shoes. "I just wanted to apologize-"

"Yes, Mr. Potter. You want to apologize to me for seriously insulting and emotionally abusing my ward. Have you apologized to Severus? Or even the people that had to witness such a disgusting display? I suspect you are here because you worry I will mistreat you for this, am I right?"

"Snape wouldn't want to talk to me even if I did try to apologize!" James snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yet you haven't tried. Cowardice? Mr. Potter, I will admit that when I first met you… I imagined that one day, despite your immaturity, you would grow up to be a respectable man, loved by many with a good wife and a family that would idolize you. I fear that what I had hoped will never come to pass as you are obviously not growing up. And now… now your behavior is alienating the people around you. I want nothing to do with you, personally. Lily Evans greatly dislikes you. And now… your friends are even leaving your side."

"Sirius will-"

"Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin have seen that you are willing to say and do things that are truly repugnant. I do not think they will easily forgive you. There is still time for you to change, of course, but… I'm not holding out hope. As for your true fears in coming to me, your discipline has been dealt out by your head of house. Being a rule follower, I am adhering to school bylaws stating that the parents or guardians of students cannot dole out punishment surrounding their child's school problems. Now, if that is all, Mr. Potter, I need to plan for my next class. Good day."

She gestured to the door, seeing that James was pale and looked shocked into silence. Quietly, he turned and walked out, closing the door behind him.

Now, she sat at her desk after classes were complete, waiting for Sirius Black to arrive for his detention. She was just about to cast a tempus charm when the door opened and Sirius walked in. "Professor Malfoy?"

Hermione nodded, "Yes, Sirius. Come take a seat."

Sirius sat down, looking unsure of what to expect. Hermione smiled at him. "Mr. Black, you have been a pleasant surprise, recently."

"Professor?" he inquired, looking even more confused than before.

"At Eileen Snape's funeral, you were eager to pass on your sincere sympathies to Severus. And then, last night, you defended him and rejected a friendship with his attacker in doing so. I will admit that, in the past, I have believed you to be wholly Gryffindor, brave and brash. You are growing in a way to make me believe that you encompass the best traits of all four houses. You have proven yourself to be intelligent, cunning, brave, and just. Last night, you also showed a level of loyalty to Severus that I did not know you were capable of giving. Thank you, Sirius. Your actions and your honest friendship toward Severus is something for which I will always be grateful," she stated sincerely.

Sirius looked proud then and relieved. "Thank you, professor," he said, quietly. His words were weighted.

"Sirius, I wish to speak bluntly with you. Is that okay?" He nodded, and Hermione smiled again.

"It is apparent that your home life leaves a lot to be desired. Severus expressed to me that he is concerned that it is something similar to what he dealt with. Is there truth to our concerns?"

Sirius's eyes welled up in tears, and he brushed his sleeve over his face quickly. Finally, he nodded.

Hermione looked at him, sadly, wondering if he had had an adult he could open up to in this timeline. He obviously had not come to rely on the Potter family yet.

Hermione tried to reign in her pity for him as she nodded in return. "The majority of your family that I have met, bar Narcissa, do not particularly care for me."

Sirius snorted, and she raised an eyebrow. "We occasionally have family dinners with my cousins. Bellatrix and Cygnus in particular seem to hate you. They are angry that you have the Dark Lord's favor."

Hermione chuckled softly, nodding. "Yes. Okay, your family generally hates me. Were it not for my position, I am sure I would have been attacked with much more frequency. As to that, I think that my stepping in without motive at this point would just make your life harder. However, there is an exception to that."

Sirius looked puzzled, and Hermione cleared her throat. "When you go home for the holidays… if you ever believe your health or well-being is in peril, you will come to me. I will arrange for a portkey to be made that will allow you to get to me safely. Keep in mind that it will only be able to be used once, for you only, and should be for absolute emergencies."

"Professor, portkeys are hard to come by... they are closely…"

Hermione raised a hand. "Lucius and Abraxas are taking care of it, likely as we speak. I expect to have it in the next few days and will see that it gets to you before our week of detention is up. When you feel as if you need to get out and that there is no going back, say the name of someone safe and it should take you to be near them. Whoever it is, me or someone else, will give you a safe haven, and I will make sure you don't have to go back to them."

Sirius looked pale, "They… what would you do to them?"

"Only what is necessary to keep you safe, Sirius. Also, if something ever does happen to me…"

"What would happen?" he cut in, looking worried.

Hermione shrugged. "I have very… complex relationships. Not all of them are necessarily good for my health, but they are there just the same. If that happens, you have my word that you can rely on Lucius or Abraxas Malfoy to do exactly for you as I have said. You have done well by my family, and… in all honesty, you do not deserve the life you have been given for merely becoming a Gryffindor. When and if the time comes, you will come to me. Okay?"

Sirius took a minute but finally nodded. "Yes, professor."

"Great. Now, predictably, I have no desire to punish you further than the house points you already lost. Detention is mandatory, though. I thought we could work on your defensive spells. You focus too much on the-"

"Professor?"

Hermione stopped speaking and raised an eyebrow before nodding.

"Last year… well, we've always wondered and…."

Hermione rolled her eyes at his hedging, "Go on, Mr. Black."

"We… snuck into Hogsmeade last year and, well, it was the day it was attacked. No one, I mean… they couldn't have seen us, but… someone did. They… uhm, one of the Death Eaters told us to leave and go tell Dumbledore."

"And you wish to inform me of this… why?" Hermione responded, keeping her face carefully blank.

Sirius blushed. "Well… professor, it… it sounded like you. She likely saved us that day and…"

"Who all was with you?" she questioned, calmly.

"Well, James, Remus and I. Peter was in detention, but we told him about it. We… why would you do it?"

Hermione smiled, "Mr. Black, if it had been me it would simply be because I would not wish to see my students harmed. Seeing as you have no proof, though, I'd recommend that you not put a name to the voice. Now, pull out your wand and let's go to the dueling chamber. I might have Severus in here for some sparring if you manage to improve enough."

Sirius looked like he wanted to say more but was silent as he pulled out his wand and stood up, heading with her for the door.

* * *

The rest of the week's evenings were spent with Sirius learning to duel better. Though, after the first night, an eager Severus joined them. Without the classroom setting and syllabus to dictate their time, Hermione was able to see the natural talent that would, with time, make both into fearsome duelists.

She greatly enjoyed the time, though what she enjoyed more was seeing their friendship blossom.

After his hex caused Severus to spin around in circles like a top until he fell down, losing his wand in the process, Sirius walked across the room and reached a hand down to Sirius with a grin.

"Geez, Snape, I'm happy I finally got you with that one. I was thinking I'd never get a hit in. You are crazy fast!"

"Not as fast as I was spinning, unfortunately," Severus said, smirking as he was pulled to unsteady feet. Both boys laughed, and Hermione leaned against the wall, watching them.

"It sucks that this is my last night of detention," Sirius said, sighing. It was Friday, and his mandated "detentions" were coming to an end.

"Well, maybe… Hera?" Severus said, glancing at her.

Hermione rolled her eyes and nodded. "Fine. Lucius works late on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We could do it then, unless I have something else planned."

"Great!" Severus said.

Sirius nodded, but frowned contemplatively. "I mean… I really would love to, but… well, things are tense with Remus, too. I think he's been feeling a bit abandoned."

"Then invite him to come along. I don't think he'd be slowing us down much, if at all," Severus said, nonchalantly.

Sirius looked skeptical and threw a look at Hermione. She could read the concern in his eyes. Remus was known to be a werewolf to only a few people in the school. Sirius, James and Peter had already accepted that part of him, but would Severus?

Hermione smiled, encouragingly. "If Severus was open minded enough to look over the fact that you once bullied him, I think he can be perfectly accepting of Remus, too."

Sirius glanced at Severus for a moment and then finally nodded. "Fine. I'll ask him. He has been wanting to learn a few of the spells I've learned this week. He's a real bookworm."

"Then he will fit in with Severus just fine, I'm sure."

"You guys talk about me like I have huge social issues or something. With the exception of two people, I get along with pretty much everyone! I mean, I'm not a huge social butterfly, but I can carry on a conversation!" Severus said, scowling. Hermione smiled, thinking once more how different Severus had turned out to be.

Hermione heard the clock chime the hour of ten as she felt her arm burn. "Damn!" she cursed, glancing to the door.

"That heartbroken to see us leave, professor?" Sirius teased, while Severus glanced at her in confusion.

She sighed, "I just forgot about some papers I was supposed to mail off to Gringotts today. You are supposed to be back in the dorms soon, too."

The boys nodded, heading out. "So, next Tuesday?" Sirius asked.

"Unless something comes up," Hermione replied, easily. "Talk to Remus. It will be fine." They left, though Severus shot her a look of concern as he went.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29-** I still don't own or profit from Harry Potter. JK Rowling does.

After her two students had left, Hermione quickly changed into a dark pair of robes and put her mask in her pocket. She supposed it was about time that the Dark Lord call on her. She was slightly surprised she had gotten over a week into term without it.

As she walked out of the school, sending a patronus to Dumbledore as she went, she thought on what a relief it was to have multiple spies. What must it have been like for Severus in her old timeline? He had to constantly worry about being there for every meeting or missing things. He had to try to involve himself in every single thing the Dark Lord did, a task that was both mentally and physically exhausting to be sure.

For her, while spying wasn't easy, she could count on the fact that most likely either she, Abraxas, or Rodolphus would be involved in whatever was going on. And if they weren't, Antonin would likely be there and eager to share what happened with her, even if he didn't know exactly what she would do with the information.

She found that the more time she spent reflecting on her position, her respect and pity for her late professor grew exponentially. He had been unquestionably eager to see the Dark Lord dead, just as much as she was or more, but he had been all alone. He had had to push everyone away and vilify himself for the good of wizarding society. It was remarkable that he had been able to wear his mask so well and not show people the fact that he was crumbling to pieces under the weight of it all. To live a life of guilt, lies, and rage, and knowing that you would at best be seen as a very valuable chess piece would cause anyone to fall apart.

She vowed to herself that, once this was all over and she could share her past with more people without worry, Severus would one day know what he could have been and how terrible and wonderful it was all at once. That, regardless of circumstance, he was destined to be someone wholeheartedly worthy of honor and love.

As she walked through Hogsmeade, she tried not to look at the burned-out shop she had helped to destroy. The woman that survived had apparently immediately set off to live in magical Quebec after burying her husband and children. She had refused to speak of the incident, even to the DMLE.

Hermione sighed as she turned down the high street, wondering what would need to be done before they could kill Lord Voldemort. The Diadem, locket, and cup were all in her possession. Nagini was not yet created, or Harry. It was only the diary and the ring, and she knew where the ring was.

With the Dark Lord's growing interest in Severus, she was more eager than ever to kill the man. And she knew it would not end with Severus. Rabastan was already being encouraged by his crazy sister-in-law, and his parents were supportive, even if they didn't know exactly what Lord Voldemort was up to. Regulus was in the same boat, and with Sirius becoming close to them… perhaps his days were numbered as well before he was seriously approached. And what would happen when Sirius expectedly refused?

She threw a nod to a few people as she walked through the Three Broomsticks. She stopped next to the fire, reaching up to drop a sickle into the collection jar before grabbing a handful of floo powder from the jar next to it. Tossing it into the fire, she quickly called, "Malfoy Manor" and was whizzed away. Abraxas was waiting for her on the other side, mask already in hand. Her father-in-law had told her he would have the portkey done as soon as possible, and she wanted to check on it.

"Hera. How are you feeling?"

She shrugged, "The usual. Stressed and tired. You?"

He nodded. "We are going to Rodolphus's tonight via floo. In the meantime," he said as he reached to grab a red feathered quill off of his desk, "here is the portkey for Sirius Black. Passcode is as discussed."

Hermione smiled as she took it from him. "Thanks."

Abraxas sighed, "Best not to keep the Dark Lord waiting. Shall we?"

Hermione nodded, once more grabbing floo powder. "Lestrange Domicile," she called, clearly speaking the floo address, not wanting it to be confused with the Lestrange Manor of Rodolphus's parents. She stepped in and, a moment later, stepped out on the other side.

An elf was there to greet her and Abraxas, whom she felt behind her a moment later. "Follows me, please," it said, before walking briskly out of the hall.

Shortly, they walked into the dining room. The Dark Lord was already seated at the head of the table with Rodolphus and Bellatrix to his left. Antonin was a bit further down the table. Hera went to the seat next to the Dark Lord, directly across from Rodolphus, and Abraxas sat next to her.

Both nodded to Lord Voldemort, respecting the silence in the room. A few more people trickled into take up the remainder of the seats, and a few stood along the wall.

After about ten minutes, the Dark Lord cleared his throat. "Brothers and sisters, thank you for arriving in such a timely manner. First off, let us all give the new Mrs. Malfoy a warm welcome back from her honeymoon. You are practically glowing, my dear."

The assembled Death Eaters clapped, most without much emotion behind it. These people were not her friends for the most part, just her "comrades".

"Thank you, my Lord," Hera said quietly, inclining her head to the table.

"Of course. Now, to business. Mr. Parkinson shared some important information with me earlier today. Sterling, you may share it with all of us now."

Many interested eyes moved toward the end of the table, across from Antonin, where Sterling Parkinson sat. He was a very forgettable looking man. Medium brown hair that was prematurely balding and greying was close cut to his rather round face. The slight upturn to his nose lent Hermione the first glimpse of resemblance he would share with his future daughter.

"I have reason to believe that, somehow, more information has gotten out about us. While a few people have always been suspicious of me due to… ideological differences, I have noticed several more keeping close tabs. Particularly, the Auror Department seems to have several people taking more interest in me and several like-minded individuals than usual."

"Oh?" the Dark Lord prompted.

"Yes. Of course, after that damned article came out, these people were bound to pay closer attention, but I have noticed many of them talking that did not have much interest in each other prior to it. I believe we have a counterforce that plans to go against us. How they get information is something I am unsure of. It is suspicious how many people responded in Hogsmeade so quickly that day, though," Sterling said, looking around the room as if to sense who might be involved.

"Who have you noticed in particular?" Vaughan Dolohov said from his seat next to his son.

"At first I thought it was just the usual parties. Roland Shacklebolt has had it in for me for a long time… blood feud. His son, Kingsley, is a junior auror now. Not much field time yet, and he seems to linger a bit too much around me."

"A father and son with a blood feud? I assume there are more," Jonah Avery asked, skeptical.

"Alastor Moody and Barty Crouch. They've always hated each other. Moody just wants to run down criminals and disrespects Crouch's desire to move up the ladder. Crouch thinks Moody is crazy, not that I blame him. Still, they've been having several quiet conversations. One would think that my boss having so many conversations with one of the best Aurors would come to my attention as the Junior Head, but not a word. They are discussing something official…unofficially."

"Any more?" Abraxas asked, calmly.

"Just several people talking that don't usually. Arthur Weasley, Gawain's son, is pretty much a no name that is working in Muggle Artifacts. I've seen him spending a bit of time with Kingsley Shacklebolt. They were in different houses, four years apart, and work in practically unrelated departments. Saw him talking to Moody once, too. The only possible connection with them are those twin Prewett aurors. They are Weasley's wife's brothers. Still, lots of quiet conversations."

Everyone was quiet for a few moments, then Jonah Avery spoke up once more. "I thought it was work related... I meet with Elphias Doge several times a month to discuss funding. He's the bookkeeper in charge of how much money we can give to our sources at the Prophet. Anyway, about a week ago he was already in my office when I arrived in the morning. He said the door was opened and was just sitting there, but… I did notice my papers in my locked drawer were disorganized. Nothing incriminating was in there, but I did find it strange."

"He's an old school chum of Dumbledore's, isn't he?" the eldest Crabbe asked, his eyes sparking with intelligence that Hermione knew would not pass to his grandson.

"He is," Avery confirmed.

Hermione had been forcing herself not to be tense. Obviously, many early Order members were not as good at being covert as they should be… or would be with time.

"Any connection to Dumbledore is worth looking into," the Dark Lord finally said, looking around the table. "Dumbledore has always disliked me, and he doubtless would disagree with our plans and our methods. I wish for you all to be vigilant… I'll be looking into this. Please take heed with your correspondence and conversations with your fellows. Anything sensitive should not be shared outside of completely privacy."

The meeting was quickly dismissed after that, though Voldemort told Hermione that he would be in contact with her soon. Hermione did notice that Rodolphus and Bellatrix were asked for a few more moments of their time as everyone else left.

As they walked back toward the floo, Hermione felt Antonin join her at her side. "Hera, can you give me a minute?"

Hermione quickly excused herself from Abraxas, telling him that she would see him soon. When they were the last ones waiting for their turns, Antonin spoke. "So, I was wondering if you and Lucius might be up for coming to dinner next week? Saturday night?"

Hermione smiled, "Where are we going? I know for sure that you can't cook…"

Antonin rolled his eyes. "Actually, I will be… but I'll have help. You see, I have started dating someone. I want to introduce her to my best mates, you know?"

"That serious? Wow, Antonin," Hermione said, feeling her curiousity grow. "Do I know her?"

His voice dropped to a near whisper. "Well, no, not really. She's a muggle you see. And… she doesn't know about me yet, so it will be a wandless evening. Is that okay?"

Hermione felt her eyes widen. "A muggle? I'm… surprised. Does your father know? I am guessing he does not."

"Definitely not," Antonin said. "I… I talked to Flitwick about her, and he said that I should see how it goes with you two… make sure I think she could blend in okay before telling her more."

Hera took a deep breath, "Well, yes, of course. We will be there, and we won't mention magic. Just know… well, Lucius isn't as good at playing muggle as us."

Antonin quickly pulled her into a hug. "Thanks. And… uh, thanks for understanding. And for keeping it quiet, you know?" he asked, throwing a look at the open doorway separating them from the other occupants in the house.

"Your secrets are safe with me."

Antonin looked at her for a moment, seeming to size her up. "And yours are safe with me."

* * *

Arriving back at Hogwarts, Hermione hurried to her rooms where she then used her floo to call the Headmaster. A moment later, he came through, appearing concerned. "Hera. How did it go?"

Hermione sat down on her small couch, and the headmaster seated himself in the chair next to the fireplace. A moment later, having heard the voices, Lucius came out of the bedroom.

"Headmaster," he greeted, tying his robe as he took a seat next to his wife.

Albus nodded, distractedly, keeping his eyes on Hera.

"Sterling Parkinson has noticed Order Members communicating with each other. People that normally do not do so. These same people have seemingly taken more of an interest in him, and he assumes that there is a resistance. He shared this information with the Dark Lord and the rest of us tonight. A few of the other older members mentioned witnessing similar occurrences. The problem with this being that, while Sterling is likely suspected due to his inclusion in Anna's article, Jonah Avery believes he interrupted Elphias going through his office. Now, the Dark Lord is bound to wonder why people would suspect Jonah as the only people that know of his participation, as far as he knows, is the rest of the Death Eaters. He's a quiet man and generally keeps to himself; he isn't one to shout his less popular beliefs to the world. I've only seen him in social settings a few times. The Dark Lord will start to consider there is a leak now."

Lucius wrapped an arm around Hermione while Dumbledore nodded, thoughtfully. "Who in particular were they concerned about?"

"Moody and Crouch. While Crouch isn't a member, I definitely wouldn't put it by Moody to try to get intel from him. They know the two are not friends. Sterling thinks Roland has put Kingsley up to keeping an eye on him," Hermione started.

Dumbledore nodded, "Well, Roland didn't, but I did."

Hermione continued, "Arthur Weasley has been meeting with Kingsley, it sounds like. And then, Elphias Doge, as I said. The Prewett twins were mentioned, but only as the singular known connection between Arthur and Kingsley. And you, as a friend of Elphias that would definitely be involved in a resistance against the Dark Lord if you knew about it."

Albus sighed, "I'll warn them to watch their backs… and their communications."

"It's the downside to relying on a bunch of Gryffindors and the like for our intel gathering," Lucius said, quietly.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's not house related. Moody and the Shacklebolts were not Gryffindors, after all. Sterling is not an idiot, and he is perceptive and good at his job. He was almost bound to notice something eventually, though I had hoped it would be later than this."

Albus nodded, "Very true. Did the Dark Lord issue any orders?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not to me. He said he would talk with me later. He requested that Rodolphus and Bellatrix hang back for something, though. I am sure he will debrief when he can."

"Anything else of note?" Dumbledore asked, fingers steepled underneath his chin.

Hermione thought for a moment before snorting in amusement. "Maybe. Antonin asked Lucius and I to dinner for next weekend. He wants us to meet his girlfriend- his secret muggle girlfriend."

She heard Lucius inhale sharply and glanced at him to see his surprise. His face was a mixture of shock and amusement, similar to what she was feeling.

"Ah, yes. Filius told me that Antonin had taken up with a muggle girl. I'm pleased he is quelling his anti-muggle sentiments," Albus said, eyes twinkling slightly.

Hermione nodded. "That is definitely an upside. He hasn't told her yet and doesn't plan to until after Lucius and I meet her. He seems… strangely serious, though."

Albus nodded, smiling genially. "Yes, love does tend to catch people most unaware. Still, I can't stress the importance of encouraging the relationship enough, can I?"

Hermione and Lucius nodded as one. "Antonin's chances are getting better," Hermione said, confidently. "But we still can't approach him until we are sure. He could view her to be an exception… like his father thought of Eliyona."I

"Yes, and muggle and muggleborn are two very different things," Lucius chimed in.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you so much for all of your kind reviews, well wishes and welcome backs! Editing is going well with nothing major needing to be changed. Seriously, the updates will come. Additionally, while I am far away from posting it, I have started working on a new fic. It will also deal with time travel but not the same kind as this. I'll be using a causal loop for the next which I will explain before the first chapter. The pairing will be Hermione/Narcissa/Lucius, but it will not a triad. ;) I"ll let you figure that out for yourselves. It should be entirely unique, as I don't believe I have read anything going along the same idea. Right now, I am about 15K in. I plan to at least finish this before posting anything, though. Please drop a review! I love hearing your thoughts and theories.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty-** _JK Rowling created and profits from Harry Potter, not me._

The next morning, Hera walked into the sitting area of her quarters to see Lucius reading a bit of parchment on the couch. He looked up at her and sighed.

"Rodolphus," he said, holding the parchment he had been reading up slightly. "He owled saying that he needs to meet with us tonight in Hogsmeade. I assume it is regarding whatever He wanted to speak to them about."

Hermione nodded, "Good. Does half past seven work for you?"

Lucius shook his head, "Unfortunately, I have to be away tonight. A late night meeting with some people from Asia that are portkeying over to potentially contract me out for some work through Gringotts. Can you go, though?"

"I guess so. It doesn't look too weird for me to be seen with Rodolphus. Owl back and let him know that I'll see him at the Hogshead then. We will eat dinner and make a night of it," Hermione replied. She walked up to her husband and dropped a kiss on his cheek. "Hopefully, it is something important to ending all of this."

Lucius smiled, "I don't think he would have insisted on meeting in person if it were not important. Do you want me to see if Father can go with you?"

"No thanks. It will be nice to see Roddy for a bit," Hermione said as she walked into the small kitchen, grabbing a muffin off of the plate the elves had left.

"Okay, love. Just don't go about falling in love with the man, clear?" Lucius said, smirking.

"Of course not," Hermione said, "the only interest I'd have in a relationship with Rodolphus would be seeing the faces Bellatrix would make." Lucius's laughter followed her into the bedroom as she went to prepare for her day.

* * *

Hermione's Saturday was mostly uneventful. She found time to pass the portkey off to Severus who promised he would give it to Sirius in private, and then she went to the "Dueling Club" lessons that she still did with Albus.

The students had progressed greatly since dueling had been added to the official curriculum at Hogwarts, and Hermione was very pleased to see that most of her students could, at the least, protect themselves from basic attacks. Better still, many had a thirst for it. They enjoyed the subject and confidence they received from being able to hold their own. This led to a great amount of self-study, and the practice room was almost always being utilized. The Shacklebolts had said new recruits were better prepared than ever for the rigors of Auror training. Even Moody, who was not her biggest fan in this timeline (or her old one, for that matter) had complimented the new recruits and credited it to the new Hogwarts instruction.

Several students already showed a great aptitude for the subject that, Hermione thought, could one day surpass at least her own. Harry had grown to be the most phenomenal duelist she had ever seen, but he had naturally received that talent from his father. James Potter was a fiercely quick opponent, and -while she was sad for the reasons for it- his duels against his former friend, Sirius, were some of the best duels Hogwarts could have expected to see from someone their ages. She knew that if he continued to progress at this rate into adulthood, the Hit Wizards and Aurors would be scrambling for him.

Lily Evans was a bit different than Hermione had expected. History had told her that James and Lily together had both survived encounters with the Dark Lord three times, and that had led her to the mental imagery of Lily being fierce with a wand. Lily, though, was simply competent. She was much like Hermione had been at that age, relying on books and not instincts for her technical attacks and defenses. She was easily beaten by someone with strong magic and the smallest amount of creativity. In fact, Hermione knew that Lily's worst class was her own.

It led Hermione to appreciate another apparent fact about her best friend's parents. Lily, while not a fierce duelist (obviously James was the one to be the fighter), knew her weaknesses. Hermione was sure that, as an adult, Lily had realized she was no match for the Dark Lord. That knowledge was probably what led her to looking into alternative protections for her son, which had ultimately saved his life numerous times. Alastor Moody was known for saying "Constant Vigilance". Roland Shacklebolt had his own saying which she found herself much more attuned to: "Know your weaknesses; play to your strengths." They were wise words she had heard his son use on many occasions in memoriam to his late father in her own time.

After the club had ended with Thomas Greengrass being led to the hospital wing by his victorious opponent, Johannes Abbot, Hermione stayed back to tell Albus about her meeting with Rodolphus. He wished her luck, and she quickly retired to her rooms to change into casual clothing before heading off to Hogsmeade.

The Hogshead Pub was just as seedy in the 70s as it would be thirty years in the future, even if the dinginess hadn't quite set into the wallpaper as much as Hermione remembered. For all of its less-than-sanitary faults, though, it was still an excellent place to hold a meeting where no one would look at you too strangely.

Upon entering, Hermione saw at least three people with dark hoods were present. A prostitute was talking to a man that _might_ be a vampire, and it seemed as if money might exchange hands soon. Two men in the corner were playing a game of gobstones, various pieces of magical currency on the tables next to them, and a hag was sitting at the bar watching the game with likely intent to steal said currency if she got the chance.

Still, for Hermione's purposes, it was perfectly acceptable. It was not known as being exclusively dark, so it suited her to be there from both sides. Rodolphus was a friend and both had been known to meet there even in their school days. Slytherin House was practically expected to spend some time in the place.

Glancing around a second time and not spotting Rodolphus, Hermione made her way to a semi-circular booth in a corner, nodding to Aberforth as she walked by the bar. He nodded in response, taking note of her entrance. He was technically an Order member, Albus had told her, but he knew next to nothing other than to keep his ears and eyes open. Hermione wasn't sure how much he knew about her own involvement.

Upon seating herself, she cast several discreet charms to prevent people from hearing their conversation or attempting to read their lips. She also did a quick scan for animaguses in the vicinity- Rita Skeeter was not a threat in this time, considering she was only a year older than she and Lucius were, but it could never hurt to be cautious considering her past.

She didn't wait long for Rodolphus to walk in, looking slightly excited and terrified all at once. He waved upon seeing her and walked toward her, not so much as glancing at the other patrons. Stopping short at the bar, she saw him talk to Aberforth before continuing to her. In his hustle to get there, he bumped into a hooded person, begging apologies but not really bothering to stop. Sliding in across on the other side until he was only a few inches away from her.

"Lucius passes on his apologies again that he couldn't be here," Hermione said by way of greeting.

"It's fine. I'm just glad one of you were available on such short notice. I'd rather it go more directly to the top than relying on Abraxas or Adeline… not to mention it is stranger for me to go there, and I think Bellatrix monitors the floo to see where I go."

"Why does she care?" Hermione said, raising an eyebrow.

"Because she's right pissed she isn't pregnant yet, I expect," Rodolphus said, rolling his eyes.

"And I assume you are still taking measures?" she asked, mostly in amusement. Aberforth stopped at their table, putting two butterbeers down before the pair before walking silently back to the bar. They both spent a moment wetting their throats before Rodolphus continued.

Rodolphus nodded, sighing. "Of course. I dearly hope that this all ends with me married to someone much better and her spending quality time with a few dementors from the comforts of their very worst cell."

He was quiet for a moment before looking down at her stomach. "You and Lucius are so lucky. Despite all of this shite going on, you can still be with someone you love and you are having a child together."

"Do you want all of that really, though? Don't you want to play the field a bit like Antonin? You've spent your entire life knowing you'd have to marry someone you didn't like… wouldn't you want to avoid the commitment?"

He shook his head, "No. I… well, I want to be a Dad. Always have. I just want a quiet life with some kids running around and a wife I adore. I like babies… children. I'm so jealous of you two." He was looking more and more depressed, and Hermione's heart ached for him. Harry had grown into that, just wanting peace and family with no strings attached. Seeing the resemblance was pleasant to say the least, if bittersweet.

The baby pressed a foot against her stomach, and Hermione smiled softly, pressing a hand against the small lump. The movement didn't go unnoticed. "Is she kicking?" Rodolphus asked, eyes on her stomach.

Hermione nodded, "Sort of. She doesn't kick much that I feel, more stretches out. I have a hand on what I think is a foot." His unwavering gaze had her asking, "Do you want to feel?"

He looked up at her eagerly, and she grabbed his hand, placing it where hers had been. Scooting a bit closer, he probed the hard spot lightly, a look of excitement on his face. "Wow. This is the first time I've actually felt this… well, since my mum was pregnant with Rabastan." She felt the baby shift, and he smiled brightly before pulling his hand away.

"So, not that I don't like spending time with you, but…" Hermione prompted.

A look a seriousness crossed his face as he leaned toward her, unnecessarily whispering in her ear. "He gave us a book last night, told us it was something he was entrusting us to keep safe."

Hermione felt her heartrate pick up. Rodolphus wasn't aware of the horcruxes, but Hermione thought she might be in luck. "Tell me about it."

"It was a slim, leather bound journal. Had TM Riddle embossed on it," he said, swallowing.

Hermione nodded, knowing he was picking up on her excitement. "And inside?"

He shook his head, "that's the strange part. Completely blank. He told us we just needed to care for it and not to be too concerned. Told us to just hide it in the library with some notice-me-nots and other things like that on it. Said he didn't expect anyone to know about it, but that he had some personal notes obscured inside. It felt… heavy though. Heavy magic. That's all I can say to describe it."

Hermione took a deep breath, grabbing his hands, "Can you bring it to me?"

He was quiet for a moment, "I can, but…. Bellatrix. She, of course, thinks this is some huge honor. She put the enchantments on it herself. I can break them, with time, but she would find out once I got it, I'm sure. I've seen her check on it thrice already today."

Hermione groaned. "I am relatively positive your damned wife exists solely to be a pain in my arse." She was quiet for a moment while she thought.

The ring. It was time. If they got the ring and the diary, they could destroy what were most likely his only horcruxes to date. Then, they could end him. But she couldn't give it away. They'd have to wait it out.

"Rodolphus, what you have told me is… it's vital. I want you to sit on that information now. Speak of it to no one at all, unless with mine or Albus's express permission. Leave the diary alone, don't touch it and certainly don't write it in. Hopefully, soon, I'll tell you to bring it to me, regardless of the risks. At that point, we will be near the end of this."

Rodolphus nodded, a myriad of emotions flitting about his face. "Just tell me when."

Hermione smiled, raising her glass to clink against his, "To the future," she toasted.

Thirty minutes later, they got up from their booth and walked toward the door. "I've got to get up to Hogwarts. Lots to plan," she said, smiling warmly.

Rodolphus nodded. "Our futures are looking bright, then?" he asked, hugging her tightly.

"Brighter than ever before," Hermione replied, dropping a kiss on his cheek before heading out into the night.

* * *

From the corner of the building, a disillusioned and cloaked figure watched the interaction between Hera and Rodolphus, seething.

It was no secret that Bellatrix _hated_ Hera Elias… Malfoy. She had since practically the moment she had met the woman.

For several years now, she had watched that low born piece of trash take everything she had wanted. Her position as the strongest, most respected female in Slytherin and the dueling title. People seemed to _gravitate_ toward the bitch, and it drove Bellatrix absolutely crazy.

The worst, though, was men. First, she had had multiple Slytherin men interested in her. Then, she had made the mistake of taking Lucius Malfoy! Of course, Lucius had never been destined to be hers, but at least she had consoled herself with the fact that Narcissa wasn't interested in him in the least. She might have been able to warm his bed a bit considering her sister certainly didn't plan to. But, Lucius had fallen for the chit….worse, he married her.

And the Dark Lord! From when she was a fifth year herself, upon meeting Lord Voldemort, she had planned to make herself invaluable to him and his cause. She would be one of his most powerful allies, if not _the_ most powerful. But then…. Lord Voldemort chose _her._ Despite her poor breeding, he had chosen _Hera_ to be his second in command! She had had to follow her orders… and he had practically cheered the wench on when she had tortured Bellatrix in front of everyone.

Now, the final straw. Rodolphus. Of course she knew that Rodolphus was interested physically in the witch. She had at least been sure that, though there was no love lost between her and her husband, he would remain faithful. And even if he wasn't wanting to remain loyal to her, Hera wouldn't betray Lucius in such a way. Unfortunately, it seemed that she had given the nasty orphan too much credit. It seemed Hera was determined to take _everything_ that was Bella's.

Of course, if Bellatrix had thought she could get away with it she would have killed Hera long ago. The problem was that the Dark Lord would be furious, as would several of his followers. And Lucius, of course. They were too enchanted to realize that they would all be better off with her gone.

Yes, Hera Elias would have to die… but quietly. Without anyone suspecting she was behind it. Later, when everyone realized how horrible she had been, how much better things were with Bellatrix in Hera's position, they would come along. Then, she could take the credit for ridding them of her. She could even use the opportunity to rid herself of Rodolphus and take a widower Lucius for herself. He would be thankful to her… eventually.

With a cruel smirk, filled with anticipation, she aimed her wand at Hera's unsuspecting back and sent an innocent tracking charm. Her time would come; she just had to be patient and wait for the right opportunity.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you again for all of your wonderful reviews. It was reading your reviews, even months after I had updated, that motivated me to keep going. I had to fulfill my promise of not abandoning, and you guys helped to keep me honest. Thank you for your kind words, and please let me know how you are enjoying the fic!


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31-** Harry Potter was created and is owned by JK Rowling. I profit in reviews only.

The following Friday found both Hermione and Lucius to be in good spirits as they walked toward Antonin's flat in muggle London. Both were riding a high since Rodolphus's news that the diary had been found.

While they were still trying to decide the best way and the best people to send after the ring, they both felt increased hope that Hermione's objective in coming to the past was going to be met much sooner than previously thought.

Select members of the Order of the Phoenix had had a few meetings during the week to discuss the best way to get to the ring and to establish what to do once they had all of the horcruxes in their possession. Alastor, Roland, and Lucius had been called in to help with deciding what to do when destroying the horcruxes. Dumbledore had been privately speaking to Abraxas about warding an area for their destruction. Hera, Roland, Abraxas, Lucius and Albus had been the ones to speak about the actual retrieval, though. Hermione had been adamant that Albus not be on the retrieval team. She hadn't gone into details except to state that Albus was more susceptible to the lures placed on the ring than the others. Albus seemed curious but accepting of her demands.

Hermione and Lucius were happily walking up the drive, laughing together at the dressing down Lucius had received from one of his goblin bosses. Gringotts had intended to charge more money because of the "difficulty and time necessary" in breaking the curse, but Lucius's work had been too quick for them.

Lucius knocked on the door, still grinning, and it was answered almost immediately by Antonin. "Come on in, you two!" he greeted, cheerfully.

"What happened to your hand?" Hermione asked with concern, seeing that a kitchen towel was wrapped around Antonin's left hand, spotted with blood.

"He's an idiot!" a voice called with a laugh from the kitchen.

Antonin rolled his eyes, gesturing them toward the kitchen. They put their bags and coats next to the door and followed him to see a woman standing with her back to them, stirring a pot vigorously. "Amy, meeting Hera and Lucius Malfoy. Lucius, Hera, this is Amy Holmes."

Hermione felt the blood drain from her face as the familiar form of her mother turned to face them.

Amy smiled brightly, putting the spoon down and walking the few steps to shake their hands. "Pleased to meet you! Although, Antonin told me that I have met you before, Hera. I was your waitress at the Leaf Press. Suppose it is thanks to you that we met!"

Hermione was speechless, fortunately, Lucius saved her. "Pleasure to meet you, Amy. So, how did this idiot hurt his hand?"

With Antonin grumbling in the background, Amy smirked as she answered. "The man has this beautiful kitchen and everything he could possibly need to cook in it, but absolutely no clue what he is doing. I came over early to help out just in case and got to see him cut his hand open dicing an onion. Better still, he doesn't even have Band-Aids!"

Lucius threw an amused look at Antonin, who shrugged in return. Of course, with Amy not knowing about magic, he couldn't exactly set to healing it with his wand as he would normally do. And surely he had expected to have a Dolohov elf do the cooking before his muggle girlfriend arrived.

Hermione recovered enough to laugh, if it was a bit stilted. "Come on, you big klutz. I think I have one in my bag."

She and Antonin walked back toward the front door, and Hermione pulled out a tissue before transfiguring it into a small bandage and applying it to the cut. "Really, Antonin? The first muggle you saw?"

He shrugged. "You are a good judge of character. I went to return the umbrella the next week, and we just hit it off. What's the problem? You like her."

"Yes, but I've also been practically stalking her. This is weird," she responded. Her head was spinning. Antonin was dating _her mother._ What if they really hit it off? She would have a hand in insuring that Hermione Granger never existed on this timeline. What about her father? Would he find happiness with someone else?

"She doesn't know that. In fact, she said she didn't recall seeing you there before, but then… I think you are pretty good at blending in if you feel you need to, so that doesn't surprise me," he said, looking at her shrewdly.

Hermione sighed. "Fine, but you had better treat her well, Antonin."

He nodded, "If it keeps going this great, I'll be marrying the woman. Mark my words." Grabbing her by the arm and taking her back into the kitchen. Amy was pouring four glasses of wine, talking to Lucius happily.

"Antonin says that you are a repairman?" she asked Lucius.

Lucius sputtered for a moment, shooting a glare at Antonin. "Nothing quite so… blue collar. I repair heirlooms and antiques. Mostly high end stuff."

Amy nodded. "No judgement from me, Lucius. My father, Joe, is an automobile mechanic. You all have such strange names. Antonin has mentioned you two the most, but also a Kingsley and a…. Rodolphus?"

Hermione laughed, "Would you believe Hera was the tamer choice of names for me. My parents almost named me 'Hermione'." Lucius rolled his eyes at her while Amy laughed, gently.

"That's actually really pretty, if a bit antiquated. It could grow on me. Not that Hera is not pretty…" she said, smiling gently. Hermione smiled in response, a bit sadly. Her father had taken her mother to see The Winter's Tale the night that he had asked her to marry him. It had taken a few weeks, but he had convinced her mother to name their daughter Hermione in honor of the night.

Antonin cleared his throat. "Are we ready to eat then? I am starved."

The rest of the evening passed by quickly. Hermione was a bit thrown off still, especially seeing the lovesick looks Antonin and Amy were sending to each other. Lucius seemed to pick up on her discomfort and tried to keep the conversation on other things.

"I got word yesterday. I'll be going out of town for two weeks for work. A large estate is wanting several large pieces taken care of. Willing to pay top dollar if they don't have to risk transport and can get it done quickly."

Antonin raised an eyebrow. "So close to the baby being born?"

Hermione shrugged with a smile. "There's still a few months to go. Lucius will be home before anything should happen. It will be fine."

Amy nodded, "When do you plan to stop working, Hera?"

Lucius put an arm around the back of her chair. "She's a crazy one. Plans to keep teaching right up until the point her water breaks if she can help it, I think."

"I suppose considering it is just teaching grammar that it isn't too dangerous. Do you plan to go back to work?" Amy asked, curiously.

Hermione shrugged. "I'm not sure. We will see. Albus, my boss, will be understanding either way."

"Albus! Another strange name!"

As they walked down the drive that night, leaving Antonin and Amy alone for the evening, Lucius looked at her seriously. "Why were you acting so weird? I thought she was great. A lot like you, in fact."

Hermione looked at him with a strange expression on her face. Amusement, dismay, and confusion dancing through her features. "Makes sense. She's my mother."

Lucius's sputtered cough as he choked on his own spit was enough to draw a smile across her lips for the moment. She'd have time to worry about Antonin later. For now, the Dark Lord had to take priority.

* * *

After classes on Monday, Hermione was sitting down to enjoy a cup of herbal tea and a croissant when someone knocked on her office door. Typically, considering her class was so hands on, her office hours were quiet. Students asked what they needed in class.

"Come in," she called, half expecting to see either Sirius or Severus pop their head around the corner. She was surprised to see another Marauder.

Remus Lupin was of average height but a very muscular build. His ashy brown hair was neatly trimmed into what Hermione would call a "typical boy's cut". His amber eyes were intelligent if constantly guarded and wary, a look she knew that he would carry his entire life. At this age, however, few would begin to guess the reasoning behind the look or notice the small scars that already littered his face and other visible skin.

His clothes, while in better shape than Severus's old ones had been, were much more worn than the rest of the marauder gang. Hermione assumed the money situation at home to be similar to that of the Weasley family. She had noticed, even in her own time line, that Remus had always seemed very comfortable at the Burrow, more so than at Grimmauld Place or Shell Cottage.

"Professor Elias?" he quietly called, sounding unsure.

Hermione smiled at the boy warmly, gesturing to the chair across from her desk. "A pleasure to see you, Mr. Lupin. Would you like some tea? Hot chocolate, perhaps?"

He shook his head as he took a seat, and Hermione waited patiently for him to start talking. A moment later, he cleared his throat and began. "I… I need to know how you could tell. About me, that is. Sirius told me that you knew even before he did, and the headmaster promised that he would only tell Madam Pomfrey."

Hermione nodded. "The Headmaster, to the best of my knowledge, has kept his promise."

"Then, how?" he asked, seeming irritated and anxious.

Hermione sighed, "When I was a younger, I met someone that had the misfortune of contracting lycanthropy. The subject was brought up around me by someone that did not like this man, and I started to notice the signs."

"Is it truly that easy? I… before I came here, my parents kept me away from most people. I've spent the entire year worried that somehow people would find out. And now… at least two people figured it out for themselves."

Hermione shrugged, "I don't mean to sound conceited, but I was a… precocious child. I also loved mysteries. Even before the subject was brought up, I was already wondering why I never saw the man I knew around the time of the full moon. I don't imagine most of your classmates notice to much beyond their own noses. You are doing a good job of blending in, if that is your concern."

He was silent for a moment, "You don't think I am dangerous?"

Hermione snorted, "I think you are very dangerous… on the full moon. Other than that… you are a fourteen year old boy. Few at that age are truly dangerous. Just a bit foolhardy, but I don't think you are that either."

Remus seemed to be thinking intently about something for a few moments before speaking once more. "Sirius… well, I don't know if you have noticed that he doesn't really… hang out with James and Peter anymore. I…"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I've noticed. I imagine you feel quite torn. I would feel the same way if my two best friends were fighting. I've been in that position. It's not easy."

"What can I do?" he asked, eyes pleading.

Hermione shrugged. "I'm sure it is no secret that I have a better opinion of Sirius. James, though, he is not a loss. I think that he can be an extremely loyal friend, but he can also be an extremely loyal enemy. He needs to do a lot of growing. He hasn't had many hardships in life yet. His innocence seems to be fully intact, something that you, Sirius, and Severus haven't possessed for a long time now."

"But what can _I_ do? Things were so great before! They were accepting of me… they were the closest I had to brothers, and I just don't know what to do about it. Do I have to pick a side?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. You don't have to pick a side. You do have to stand up for what you think is right though. That's a moral obligation… one that many fail in, but an obligation nonetheless. James needs an intelligent, loyal friend to keep his head on straight. He doesn't need a lackey."

"But what if he gets angry at me and… tells people?"

She rolled her wand across her desk from one hand to another, buying time while she thought of an answer. "I wish I could tell you that he wouldn't. I just don't know. I don't _think_ he would. More important than the if though is that, eventually, people will know, Mr. Lupin. I know that's horrible to hear, but it is the truth. People won't know on sight, but… I think you will have a life of quite a bit of unfair treatment. It is hard for werewolves to get jobs, loans… they aren't trusted. When you are registered as an adult, it will come out…"

Remus rubbed at his eyes, nodding. "Yes, but can't I just be anonymous while I have the opportunity?"

Hermione smiled. "Of course. But any day could be your last day of it. I think you need to start preparing for the future in that way. You need to risk it by forming connections, more friendships. Get more people to know you now, while you control the narrative."

"I'm just a student… not even the best."

"If I recall correctly, you are fourth or fifth out of your year. That is very good, and you have several very talented classmates."

"Yes, but…."

"It's not all about grades. Remus," the boy looked up at hearing her address him by his first name, and she smiled at him before continuing. "You are intelligent and charming. What you might lack against the most skilled in raw power or prodigy, you make up for in perseverance and diligence that is largely unmatched. That is not to say that you are not powerful, you are just not an Albus Dumbledore type. Oftentimes, it is the hardest worker, not the most naturally talented that gets the job. You remind me a lot of myself. Do not sell yourself short- you have a lot to offer to the wizarding community. You just have to find your niche and go for it..."

"But what can _I_ do? As you said, very few would consider to hire me… even for a shopkeeping job," he said, picking at his sleeve to avoid looking at her once more.

"What interests you the most here?" she asked, seriously.

Silent for a moment, he finally answered. "I… Your class is the most fun, but I think that Care of Magical Creatures interests me the most," he said, shrugging.

Hermione smiled, "Wonderful. Have you spent much time with Hagrid?"

Remus shook his head, brows furrowed. "The groundskeeper?"

"Yes. He _loves_ magical creatures, strangely the scarier the better. He's incredibly passionate on the subject. He also would understand quite a bit about dealing with unfair bias and prejudice due to something you can't control. Truly, the sooner you make connections, the better."

Remus snorted, "So, what I could be his assistant one day… maybe?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No. You are too magically talented for that. I mean for a friend. Reach out! As to a job… I'll speak to Dumbledore. He has a good friend in America that I think would very much like to meet you. He would probably find your condition to be more fascinating than terrifying."

"Who is it? You sound like he'd rather study me than hire me…" Remus grumbled.

Hermione chuckled. "Couldn't he do both? His name is Newt Scamander." Remus's eyes widening in shock and awe was a look Hermione was sure she would treasure for the rest of her life.

 _Author's Note: Seriously loving everyone's reviews! Especially when I hear things like "I am actually starting to like LM/HG because of this fic"! It is an underappreciated pairing that is not done often enough in my humble opinion. I am heavily into my next piece for the pairing, though I have no idea when it will be published. It is much more difficult to write logisitics wise than this one has been. Also, if you write something with this pairing, let me know! I don't read regularly, but I'd love to check it out! Thanks!_


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32:** JK Rowling created and profits from Harry Potter; I did neither of those things, but your thoughts are profit enough.

Hermione was relatively silent a few days later as she walked into Hogsmeade with Roland and Kingsley. Originally, she had planned to have Lucius accompany her and Roland on their quest for the ring, but his work trip had taken that out of their hands. Kingsley was eager to take his place on the trip though, and Hermione was confident that he could do a good job.

The compulsion to put on the ring shouldn't be as strong, she believed, considering that neither Roland or Kingsley were aware that the stone was _the_ stone. They just believed it was a Slytherin relic that Voldemort had gotten ahold of. She had warned them that they might feel the need to put it on and the repercussions if they were foolish enough to do so. She had even offered to do the job herself.

That idea had quickly been shot down, and she had been told in no uncertain terms that if she truly felt the need to risk herself while in such a delicate position that even touching the stone was out of the question. She was there to instruct only, and they planned to not physically touch the ring at all. Lucius had given them a pair of gloves that should dampen any effects they had with picking up the ring or its container and the bag should keep it safe from there.

Roland would do the "heavy lifting", Kingsley would provide aide if needed, and Hermione was there to supervise. While Hermione was slightly annoyed at not having a more hands-on role, she was very appreciative that this time around she had plenty of people to help her collect all of the horcruxes.

Father and son were talking about a quidditch game they were planning to go to in the next week, and Hermione was not really paying attention to it. Despite knowing the plan was solid and that her companions were as prepared as they could be for the task ahead, she had this strong sense of foreboding. She had, of course, felt such feelings often before. Generally, anything related to the Dark Lord made her at least a little ill at ease, so she was doing her best to block it out. Still, she felt anxious and shifty.

There was nothing to suggest she should be as nervous as she was. So, she forced herself to focus on the beautiful clear sky and the smell of evaporating dew. The arrived just outside of the boundary at Hogsmeade, and stopped next to the Hogwarts gates. They had promised to leave from this position just outside of the wards and to return to it, near to the hospital wing and Albus if something unforeseen happened. Glancing back at the school, she almost thought she could see a glimmer of Albus's neon yellow robes in the window to the headmaster's tower. He had promised to be keeping an eye out for their return.

"Hera, are you ready?" she heard Roland ask quietly. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yes. Yes, I am fine. Just eager to get this part over with. I much prefer when I don't have to hunt them down."

Kingsley raised an eyebrow, "From what I hear, the only one you hunted down was pretty easy to get," he said, referencing the diadem that had been just a quick trip to the Room of Requirement the second time she had sought it out.

"Right, well, let's get this over with then. Roland first? Are you secure with where you are going?"

Roland smiled, "Kings and I checked out the village just last week. We could go closer if you like- the hill overlooking the… home?"

"You won't offend me by saying 'creepy shack'," Kingsley joked.

Hermione rolled her eyes at her friend but smiled. "The stone wall outside of the village should be fine. I'd prefer to walk in casting than apparate in on some sort of unforeseen surprise. The Gaunts were a very... unique family. Best not to underestimate crazy."

Roland nodded and with a crack disappeared from sight.

"You ready for this? Kingsley said, seeming to try to read her expression.

Hermione smiled, facing Kingsley. She hugged him gently. "Thanks for coming along on this, Kings."

He shrugged, "I'm happy to have a bigger piece in taking the freak down."

"Let's get it done then," she said, pulling back. Kingsley nodded and disappeared on the spot.

Hermione sighed. Two more and then they could bring the Dark Lord to his knees. Gathering herself, she centered herself to bring her destination to mind- a waist high stone wall with a beaten up dirt road going through it toward Riddle Manor and the Gaunt shack over the next hill.

She felt herself start to disappear when she saw it. The expression was so like that of the Bellatrix that had once tortured her, that she felt a scream start to escape her, even as the curse travelled her way. There was no way to block it. It sliced into her just as she popped away.

Kingsley sat perched on the short stone wall watching his father lace up one of his boots a bit better. The village just north of them was a simple farming village, and he was thinking that it was strange that someone as evil as Lord Voldemort could have come from such a quiet place. Little Hangleton was sleepy and peaceful… until it wasn't.

The crack that accompanied Hermione's arrival was more like a loud bang. The strange noise had both Shacklebolt's heads jerking up from their positions. Then, they were moving. Hermione lay on the ground and blood was already pooling around her.

Kingsley screamed, grabbing at Hera and putting his hands over the gaping wound on her chest, while Roland tried to staunch the blood pouring from her abdomen. "WHAT HAPPENED?!" he screamed.

"SPLINCH!" Roland yelled before proceeding to start casting rapidly. Hermione couldn't respond if she had been able to try. She tried to breathe, but only coughed up blood. Both wizards were remarkably fast to respond and skilled. They both attempted to put her in stasis but considering the splatters of blood on the ground within five feet of Hermione, she had splinched herself mid route. She had already lost a large amount of blood.

Roland pulled back, sending a Patronus off that zoomed out of sight within seconds while Hermione clawed, reaching a hand up toward Kingsley's face as she choked on the blood filling her lungs and throat. Only seconds later, her hand fell down limp, and Kingsley let out a scream of pain and grief that had his father pull him into his arms immediately, a dead woman between them.

* * *

 _Author's Note: I know you are angry, but this scene was planned from well before I even wrote the first chapter of BBLS. I implore you to read the next chapter and not get pissed off and just leave it hanging (like people did with Glenn or McDreamy). I'll update again in a few days as it is so short... Until then, tell me your thoughts, but please don't cuss at me._


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33:** _I do not own Harry Potter or profit from it. JK Rowling claims the opposite._

 _November 12, 1974 – 64 days after the death of Hera/Hermione Malfoy_

Lucius Malfoy sat at the desk occupying his childhood home at Malfoy Manor. He had not been to Hogwarts at all since that last day he had been with his wife there, saying goodbye before he left for a two-week trip. Going to work had never for a second crossed his mind since her death. His last work trip had been cut short for obviously disasterous reasons.

 _He had been summoned to his ancestral home by his parents. The goblins had dutifully passed on the message, not giving any indicator as to why, but Lucius had jumped to conclusions. He suspected that Hera had given birth to their daughter earlier than expected._

 _Considering he was to be a new father, it made sense that he was a bit nervous. "Bit" covered the amount quite nicely. While giving birth to a baby at just the beginning of the third trimester was risky, the chances that the baby would be fine was very high. The magical world took good care of their newest members, and he knew that Hera had the best healers in the country looking after her._

 _Conclusions in mind, Lucius flooed into the foyer of his childhood home nervous but optimistic. After all, if anything were really serious, he would have heard from Hera herself._

 _So it was that when his father came out of the family living room to greet him, Lucius had had no idea what he was in for. The first indicator that something bad had happened was the sound of his mother crying. His father quickly shut the door behind him, but the sounds his mother was making combined with the admittedly sickly white that was his father's current complexion set his teeth on edge._

" _Father?" he asked, feeling his stomach start to protest._

" _Son," Abraxas called, coming up and hugging his son tightly. The welcomed but admittedly rare act of affection had Lucius stiffen entirely._

" _Hera… the baby?" he asked, urgently._

 _Abraxas said nothing but took his son into his office. Lucius took note of the calming draught already in place on the ornate wooden desk. He flopped down in the chair. "Did she…. Has she lost the baby?" Lucius asked, hearing the desperation in his tone._

 _Abraxas gestured to the small vial between them. "Your mother insisted this be here, but you do not have to take it. Any response you have will be justified. Son… it was a fatal splinching. Roland and his son both tried but… she's gone."_

 _Lucius felt the room sway about him, though he remained seated. He leaned forward, resting his head and his hands on the desk. Gods, the baby. Sorrow seemed almost like a blanket that settled over him, forcing tears to make their way down his face._

" _How is Hera? When can I see her?"_

 _The room was silent for several moments which prompted Lucius to finally look up. His father, a man whom he would have called stoic and immoveable only a few years prior, had tears visible in his eyes, and the hand on the desk was shaking slightly._

" _Father?" Lucius said, feeling his heartrate start to accelerate._

" _Lucius… It was Hera. She splinched horribly while going out with the Shacklebolts. She was… she was too far gone for anything to be done."_

 _The next few moments, Lucius was not himself. He flew out of his chair with a speed that most would call unnatural, flinging the wooden chair he sat on into a wall with so much force it shattered. Then, a scream escaped him that sounded inhuman to say the least before he collapsed to the floor, retching horribly._

 _Hera? His wife? She didn't die! She couldn't! The mere idea was so impossible and foolish that his body shuddered to a still, going into shock._

Lucius had "woken up" two days later in his bed. A house elf that had been sitting at his bedside, likely keeping vigil, had immediately popped away upon seeing him open his eyes. Moments later, his parents had both come in. They had tried to tell him again what had happened with as much delicacy as possible. Lucius was, however, numb to their words. He was completely unable to process what had happened.

Two days after that, he had dutifully donned his best black dress robes and attended his wife's funeral. All of the planning had been left up to his mother and father. His parents and Severus had remained near him at all times, but he had barely spoken to anyone aside from the expected responses.

 _May magic bless your family for honouring mine._ The words were completely hollow, but expected.

Immediately after leaving the gravesite, Lucius had walked quietly up to his room and shut the door. Then, he had warded and silenced it with every possible spell he could think of. He was quite positive that his father was the only person he knew that could take it down, or perhaps the headmaster. There he had remained.

He was sure his parents had originally been coming by, trying to coax him out. They eventually stopped, though. They had Severus staying with them for a few weeks as well while he worked through his grief. They had to help take care of the boy. The elves periodically delivered food, but they did not disturb him. He was sure his father had said to leave him be… as long as he was not trying to off himself.

The only time he had had any interaction with another person was when he had requested the presence of Kingsley Shacklebolt. Both men still had little tolerance for each other, but Kingsley had shown up within an hour of receiving the owl Lucius had sent him, and Lucius had allowed Kingsley through the wards. Three hours later, they had dropped and Kingsley had left, refusing to answer the questions of Adeline and Abraxas outside of saying that Lucius would be, with time, okay.

But, no, despite the pit of depression he had sunk into, there was another feeling much, much stronger. Determination. The desk at which he sat was covered in papers, as was the floor around it. A stone basin lay on the coffee table next to his fireplace. There was an order to the chaos, but Lucius was quite sure that it would not be easily interpreted if someone else was to happen upon it.

He had been writing and planning, thinking and dreaming of what was to come. Depression couldn't truly stop a man with his heart and mind set on something bigger than his grief.

He was sure he didn't look particularly beautiful at the moment. While he had forced himself to eat enough to stay somewhat healthy, it had been the bare minimum. Sleep and showers had also been done with far too little frequency. Shaving had not happened. Still, it did not matter what his body looked like, as long as it could get him to the day. And today was that day.

At exactly 11:55 in the morning on November 21st, 1974 Lucius's wand vibrated on the desk next to a stack of paper. Lucius, at this point, did not _need_ the papers. The things written down upon them were burned into his brain as sure as his name. With lack of sleep, admittedly mania _had_ settled in. Many papers had repeating information or information that wasn't needed by him anymore.

Just that morning, he had showered and shaved, brushing his long blonde hair to smooth perfection. It had been a way to spend the time as opposed to staring at his wand. Yet, he had been staring at it for the last forty minutes, waiting.

After a few seconds of watching his wand vibrate, Lucius picked it up and put it in the holster on his arm. He quietly stacked up all of the papers and put them into a metal trash bin before setting them on fire. After they were utterly destroyed, he set to work on lowering the wards of his rooms. Once that was done, he was on his way.

He walked down the hallway, down the stairs, across the foyer and into his father's office. Abraxas looked up from his desk in surprise. "Lucius, you came out."

"It was time. It's my birthday, Father, so you should know what happens now."

Abraxas looked at him in confusion, and Lucius rolled his eyes before crossing the room and putting his hands on the desk, leaning heavily into them.

"I am twenty-one, and it is _my_ turn. I am here for the Malfoy Device." He gestured to the left of the large window behind his father's desk. The portrait of his ancestors silent but nodding.

Abraxas's eyes widened in a way that would have been comical if Lucius had been in the mood for a smile. "The… what? How do you know about that?"

"Why does that matter? Does it change the fact that it is there or that I am able to use it now?"

Abraxas stood up and walked around his desk, coming to stand a few feet in front of Lucius as he turned to face his father.

"What do you intend to do with it, Lucius?" Abraxas asked, seriously.

Lucius scoffed. "We both know you are smarter than that, Father. I am going to go get my wife and child back."

Abraxas shook his head. "You could do that, yes. I understand the urge, but son… Hera was in a tremendous amount of danger every single day. How do you know that you won't go back, and she will just die some other way? Son, sometimes fate makes decisions."

Lucius stepped back from Abraxas, anger burning in his eyes. "Fate was _wrong_ , and you know it! Father, this is my birthright, is it not?"

"How did you know about it? We are all sworn to secrecy from telling anyone not of direct lineage after we use it; breaking the vow will cause sickness and death. There is no one that could have told you!"

Lucius paused, contemplating. A moment later, he nodded. "That makes sense, I suppose. She said he was perfectly healthy given the circumstances until after he had told her. Hmmm…"

"What?" Abraxas said, looking more and more perplexed.

Lucius looked at his father and slowly nodded once more. "Father, Hera was never a Seer… I, or rather the Lucius Malfoy I would have become, gave it to her to use. He died just before she left."

Abraxas reeled back as if struck, shock covering his features. "What?"

Lucius grabbed his father by the arm and led him to a replica of the chair he had destroyed months before. After seating his father, he cleared his throat.

"Without Hera's interference, I would have wound up a devout follower of the Lord Voldemort throughout his first rise to power. I would have married Narcissa Black as directed. Voldemort would have been temporarily destroyed but kept alive by the horcruxes he had in place. Upon his return, I would take up service to him again and have my son do the same. I would wind up in Azkaban with a life sentence, hated and regretful. Perhaps tired of living such a dismal existence, I devised a plan to send back someone I thought could alter time and _me_ enough that I was willing to die for it. Lucius Malfoy sent back one of his son's classmates, Hermione Granger, a muggleborn, to change the path of our family."

Abraxas was pale but seemed to be taking Lucius's words seriously. "She… that's how she knew so much. That's how she knew where to get the locket and what it was."

Lucius sighed, "Yes. She and her friends spent the end of the Second Wizarding War hunting down all of the horcruxes, a few of which haven't been created yet. Father, I _am_ going back. She was more than my wife…. More than the mother of my child. She is the person who saw me redeemed, saved, brought back from the brink of becoming a man I would hate. Father, think of what you would do if you could change time… think of Luciana. I have the chance to save my daughter… but so much more than that."

Father looked at son for several minutes in silence and then stood up to walk to the portrait of their ancestors. Both were silent but smiling at them, encouraging. "Go ahead," Abraxas said, resigned.

Lucius approached the couple piercing his hand with a letter opener he grabbed off of his father's desk. "Lucius Malfoy, heir to House Malfoy," he said, confidently. Amandine reached out the wooden box and opened it, revealing the treasure inside. Without ceremony, Lucius grabbed the time turner from within the box hidden inside the portrait.

"Do you know what you are going to do?" Abraxas asked Lucius, quietly.

"Yes," Lucius responded, eyes on the small box.

"Do you know what leaving here will cause?" Abraxas said, sighing.

"Either this reality will cease to exist or continue on without me…" Lucius said, finally looking at his father with thought outside of his own agenda.

Abraxas sighed, nodding. "I think the latter. In which case, you must do something now. Write a suicide note."

"Excuse me?" Lucius said, confused.

"I thought of this possibility, you using the device. I did expect to be the one approaching you about it, though. The Dark Lord… he's been writing to me more and more in recent weeks. He plans for you to take your place now that Hera is gone. If you are to disappear… he needs to know there is no use looking. I need to stage your death to protect your mother… and myself. He assumes, as we did, that you are hiding in your room depressed. Suicide is plausible."

Abraxas grabbed some parchment off of his desk and sat it down at the seat across from his own, gesturing toward it. Grabbing a quill, Lucius sat and began to write. As he did, he felt his father cut off a bit of his hair. "For the homunculus," he heard his father say, quietly.

When done, Lucius stood. "And mother?"

Abraxas cleared his throat before summoning a house elf that was quickly sent to fetch the lady of the house. Moments later, Adeline came in.

"Lucius!" she said, rapidly crossing the room and pulling her son into a hug.

"Obviously, "Abraxas said, "I can't tell her the details. You have to. She doesn't need to think you have died, though. Not seeing you again will be bad enough, the reason will soothe her."

"What?" Adeline said, slightly alarmed. "Lucius…" she said with a worried tone as she pulled away.

"Mother… we have to talk."

* * *

 _Author's Note: Thank you so much for your patience and the phenomenal reviews! I am super excited to post this chapter; it was one of my favorite ones to write. I did not want to focus overly much on Hera's death, as the point is that the Malfoy Device will be used for the last time… until any heir of Lucius comes along to turn 21. They are flying with absolutely no recourse from here on out. Thanks for reading, and an extra thank you to any of who you take the time to review. 3 or 4 days will be 34._


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34:** _I do not own or profit from Harry Potter or from this work of fiction; JK Rowling does._

After a few tearful hours saying goodbye to the parents that would never see him again, Lucius Malfoy found himself appearing in his father's office over three months earlier, startling Abraxas Malfoy as he was getting up to head to dinner.

"Lucius?!" He said, confused. After a moment, he shook his head again. "No… the soonest you should appear like this is November 5th. Why are you here earlier? How far did you travel? Why do you look so…"

Lucius sat down in the chair opposite his father. "It was necessary to come back sooner. At the end of the week, if things go as they naturally would, Hera will splinch. Both her and the baby would die."

Abraxas looked a bit sick at the thought but nodded after a few moments. "Very well then, I suppose. I'm rather surprised I didn't put up more of a fight…"

Lucius glared, "You did disagree initially, but my reasoning was sound. Additionally, the Dark Lord was intent on recruiting me with Hera gone. You thought it best that I not end up in that position. Everything is… normal here?"

Abraxas stood from his chair, "Yes. Everything is fine as best I know. I saw Hera just a few hours ago at a meeting to plan the retrieval. Is that when it happens?"

"Yes," Lucius said, standing with his father and walking to the door.

"Okay, then. I suppose this shouldn't feel so strange... of course, my travel back was only three days prior to fix a rather large mistake I made when courting your mother. Because of that change, I have the last two fingers on my right hand... and a wife. " Abraxas seemed to realize that he was babbling and cleared his throat before going silent.

After a moment, he spoke in a much more somber tone. "Well… Lucius, I am sorry that you had to go through that. You do know, though… if anything else happens you can't use the device. It won't open twice. I suppose you could… but you'd have to wait until your heir was old enough and could access it for your use."

Lucius shook his head, "I planned while I waited. She will be okay."

"This is very different than the conversation I had with my father when I travelled back," Abraxas said, leading his son from the room.

"Hopefully, when I am in your shoes, it will be as mundane as possible…" Lucius said, voice trailing off.

Abraxas walked with him toward the dining room, "You are welcome to stay for dinner, but…"

Lucius laughed, "Yes. I am quite eager to get to Hera. Thank you, Father."

Abraxas smiled minutely in response. "Go."

* * *

It had been a long yet productive day for Hera. She had taught her classes, graded some papers, had a rather enjoyable time getting to know Remus Lupin, and attended a meeting with Abraxas, Albus, and Roland. Now, though, she looked forward to going into her rooms and relaxing with a glass of wine before enjoying an early bedtime.

She said the password and nodded at Mafalda Grimmings (the first witch to win a co-ed dueling competition) as she walked into her quarters. She was surprised to see her husband standing still in front of the lit fireplace. He had left early that morning to go away on a two week assignment.

"Lucius?" she said, confused by his presence.

He whipped around to face her and then practically ran to her, grabbing her in the tightest hug she was sure she had ever received. She struggled to breath for a moment and almost laughed before realizing that her hair was getting wet from her husband's tears.

"Lucius?" she asked again, pulling away from him to meet his eyes.

He shuddered as he pulled away, breathing heavily.

"You are worrying me, Lucius. What happened?"

He grabbed her by the hands and pulled her to the couch in front of the fire, sitting down next to her. "You died…" he whispered, a look of remembered horror in his eyes that made her balk.

"What?" she asked. "A dream?"

Lucius shook his head quickly. "No. No. You died. You splinched yourself and the baby when you went to get the ring with Kingsley and Roland. I… I waited until my birthday and convinced Father to let me use the Malfoy Device to come back to now, to prevent it."

Hermione put a hand on her swollen stomach, feeling sick at the thought. "Splinch? That's… odd. Usually splinching happens when you rush or don't have a firm destination in mind. That doesn't sound like me…"

Lucius shook his head, putting one of his hands over the top of hers. "I don't care how likely or unlikely it is. I just know that you are _not_ apparating - at least until the baby is born, and certainly not on Friday. I already owled to say that I can't take the contract for this trip. The Goblins are pissed, but they will get over it. I'll go with Roland and Kingsley."

Hermione shook her head, "I need to be there…"

"Then we will arrange for a portkey. Or you can travel by train. I don't care. You aren't apparating."

Hermione looked at him, "Have you slept yet? You must be exhausted after the jump and… everything," she said, taking his hand.

Lucius shook his head, and Hermione sighed standing from the couch and pulling him up with her. "Come on. Let's go to bed, love. We will talk about all of this tomorrow. I'll cancel my morning classes," she whispered, leading him toward the bedroom.

They went to bed quickly, and Hermione didn't say a thing if Lucius held her too close to comfortably sleep. She also didn't mention how damp the pillow beneath their heads became. With time, he eventually relaxed and fell into an exhausted sleep. It was some time after that when Hermione joined him.

* * *

Roland and Kingsley seemed surprised when Lucius met them at the Hogwarts gates to accompany them on their mission later that week. "Lucius, I thought you had to do work for the goblins," Roland said amiably as he shook the young blonde's hand.

Lucius nodded, "I did. I thought twice though. I want to take part in destroying these things, and I am qualified to help, am I not?"

Roland cleared his throat, "Of course. Are you the reason behind the change in transport as well? A portkey?"

Lucius smiled, "My family is a bit superstitious about apparition for pregnant women. My mother is convinced it could cause a miscarriage. Better to be safe than sorry, I think. Fortunately, my father is more than able to secure us a portkey for our use. You and Kingsley are welcome to apparate if you prefer it, though."

"We will go along with you two…. Lucius," Kingsley said, civilly meeting Lucius's eyes. While the two men still didn't like each other much, they both understood that they were on the same team and cared about many of the same people. They were allies. Kingsley was a little surprised with how warm Lucius's eyes were as he responded.

"Kingsley, it is good to see you. Shall we go?"

Kingsley raised an eyebrow as he ran his hand over the top of his hair, glancing at Hera. She smiled and shrugged.

"Lucius has been feeling particularly protective of me lately and eager to get this finished," she responded, putting her hand on her swollen stomach. The answer satisfied the men, and they set off toward Hogsmeade.

Hermione walked with her hand held tightly within Lucius', thinking of their circumstances. She was sure it was natural to feel ill at ease now, especially after finding out that in another time line… she had died today. It was a strange thought, and she was tempted to say it out loud to feel it on her tongue. A glance at her husband made her think better of it.

Lucius, though not a joker by nature, seemed more serious and contemplative than usual. As Kingsley and Roland chatted about Quidditch, she could practically hear her husband going through the plan in his mind. They would take the portkey from the edge of Hogsmeade to the stone wall in Little Hangleton before proceeding from there. Lucius and Roland would be in charge of dismantling any curses. Kingsley would be the one to actually handle and transport the ring, unless he was somehow compromised, then that job would become his father's. Hera was just to be there in case she could offer any "insights" at the last minute.

They arrived at the edge of Hogsmeade with ease, and all gathered around as Hera pulled a ballet slipper from the bag over her shoulder. "Shall we? It activates with Lucius's touch and passphrase."

Kingsley and Roland grabbed hold of the shoe she held, and Hermione smiled at Lucius to encourage him.

"Lucius?" she said, but Lucius was looking over her shoulder at a small smattering of trees.

"I thought I…" he said, shaking his head. He reached in to grab the shoe, but then his eyes widened. "DUCK!"

Hermione felt pain rip through her from behind, and reached behind her, finding her back wet. "I…" she stammered, unsure what was going on. She pulled her hand back to find it covered with blood. Immediately, Lucius grabbed her into his arms, and the Shacklebolts moved to stand between them and the assailant.

"GET HER OUT OF HERE!" Kingsley shouted, as Bellatrix came into view once more.

Hermione's eyes caught onto the ballet slipper on the ground as Lucius apparated them to St. Mungo's.

* * *

 _Author's Note: I wanted to clarify and explain a few things._

 _1\. This is an alternate reality, not just a travel back in time. Regardless of who marries who and has babies with who, it doesn't effect the living. If Antonin were to marry Hermione's mother, Hermione's mother could have children with him. It would never be Hermione though and won't effect Hermione/Hera if her parents never have her._

 _2\. I seriously considered having Lucius use the time turner to go back to well before this period... specifically to when he come go back to warn Hermione not to accept Roderick Nott as a suitor. However, I decided I didn't want to go that route. Despite the pain that's happened between now and then, Lucius is excited to have the baby with Hera, and he considers it his child in every way. Beyond that, he was absolutely single minded in his desire to simply save them both. He knew she lived up until that point in relative safety, so he doesn't want to risk changing too much... just what he feels he has to. He went back to that point because that's where it all went to hell for him. Now, though... no safety net._

 _Thanks for reading! Please review!_


	35. Chapter 35

**CHAPTER 34-** I do not own or profit from the beautiful creation that is the Harry Potter universe. JK Rowling does.

As a child, Kingsley Shacklebolt had every intention to grow up to be just like his father. It was with good reason, too. Roland Shacklebolt was an extremely talented auror that was generally liked by everyone that met him. Though decidedly light, the Shacklebolts were more able than most to have good relationships with people of all ideologies and lineages. Kingsley looked up to his father as if his father was a god, and for Kingsley he might as well have been.

During his time at Hogwarts, Kingsley Shacklebolt was known for his dueling skills. He had shown that he was fast, creative, and in possession of a great memory for both offensive and defensive spells. More than that, he had been taught by his father that the fight was not over simply because one loses his wand. An animal that considers itself to be trapped can cause the most physical damage, despite having the odds against it; and what are men but the most intelligent of animals? The animals most willing to cling to life and all that goes along with it.

Still, seeing the woman that he was sure he would always consider to be "the one that got away" looking at them with such a strange look of shock on her usually perfectly composed face was enough to cause a moment's hesitation. Kingsley had responded quickly to Lucius's call to duck, but the moment he came up, wand out, he was surprised to be met with the sight of blood soaking throat Hera's shirt as she gaped at her husband, his childhood nemesis.

"GET HER OUT OF HERE!" he yelled at Lucius, and the blonde man responded, gathering Hera in his arms and disapparating with a rapid cracking sound.

Going straight through the area the couple had just been, Kingsley watched as a knockback jinx threw his father backward through the air. Knowing the spell for what it was, Kingsley didn't pause to check on his father, instead setting his sights on Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black.

"STUPEFY!" he screamed, watching as the light flew toward the cackling woman. He followed the light, running at a full sprint to cover the 30 feet of distance between him and the attacker while she cast a shield charm.

A moment later, he was dodging an unfamiliar magenta light, rolling to the side and then back up. He could hear his father behind him, chanting. Bellatrix Black did not have the raw power or talent to keep up with him, and he and his father were both sure of that. He just had to keep the woman distracted long enough for his father to set up the disapparition wards around them, in the unlikely event he couldn't outright incapacitate her before she attempted to leave. It was absolutely imperative that he make himself the target while his father worked, simultaneously attempting to take Bellatrix out.

Bellatrix didn't seem too eager to go, though. She grinned madly, casting curse after curse at him. He was, fortunately, able to dodge or shield himself against each one. She couldn't keep one from landing though.

A slicing curse sailed through her shields at just the right moment, catching her in the shoulder of her wand hand. A look of panic shot through her eyes before she shot a curse, one that sailed over his head and hit his father.

Another single moment of hesitation is all that it took. Forgetting his training, forgetting his thirst for revenge, he looked back at his father. The man he had been emulating since he could walk. Roland was on the ground, obviously having some trouble breathing. It was that split second glance that caused the disarming spell to hit him, sending his wand to go flying through the air into some bushes.

Kingsley looked at her, panicked, before going for the long shot. He fell to his knees, eyes cast downward. "You going to kill me, Black?"

Bellatrix cackled, and Kingsley felt a surge of hope as she walked toward him. "Oh, yes… I'm going to kill you."

"Get on with it then," he said, trying to calm his heartbeat. He needed to make his hulking frame look as weak and vulnerable as possible. Obviously, she didn't have enough memory to realize what he would do if an opponent came too close.

"I think I want to look you in the eyes as I watch you die, Shacklebolt," she said. "Stand up."

"This is better than expected," Kingsley thought to himself, coming to stand. With as much defiance as he could muster, he raised his eyes to meet hers. Her wand was held aloft, pointed at his head. She wanted to show off though. She wanted him to see the end was coming.

"Make it quick," he said, "I have places to be, apparently."

Bellatrix laughed once more. "No begging? What a shame!"

"I don't beg," Kingsley said. Then, he took his moment. With a flash, he whipped his arm out, knocking the wand from her hand. Then, he tackled her to the ground. With over a foot in height and at least seven stones in weight on her, it would be an easy take down.

He thought. Right before he felt something sharp slide into his gut. His eyes widened in surprised, meeting the amused gaze of the petite woman below him.

"Had to get you closer… I didn't want to miss a single bit of this expression," she whispered, voice aroused. She rolled them over, coming to be on top of him before using one hand to leverage against his chest while the other jerked the blade upward, ripping an even bigger hole in his midsection.

His pained gasps were like music to her ears, but the song was much too short.

Hearing a scream and the yell of a curse being fired in her direction, Bellatrix grinned as she wandlessly summoned her wand and apparated away.

* * *

Hermione and Lucius were lying next to each other on her bed in St. Mungo's. Hermione, at this point, had cried herself to sleep after waking up only a few hours before and hearing the news. The baby was gone. The cutting curse had shot right through her abdomen. The baby had been gone before they even arrived at Mungo's, most likely.

They had also been informed a little while later that Kingsley had died while fighting Bellatrix. Both deaths were wreaking havoc on the young couple, though on one more than the other.

While holding his wife, Lucius was conflicted and feeling guilty for _feeling_ conflicted. The loss of Kingsley, a man who had died defending them, was a hard hit. Admittedly, Kingsley had not been someone he considered a friend. However, he would not forget Kingsley's words to him when he had asked Kingsley to be his sole visitor during his mourning period.

 _Lucius had summoned Kingsley to show him, in exacting detail, what had happened to cause the fatal splinching. Kingsley had done his best to be comforting, despite the fact Lucius wasn't all that interested in being comforted. After they returned from the pensieve, Kingsley had cleared his throat, wiping his eyes._

" _I swear it, Lucius, if I could have died in their place… I would've. I'm so sorry. I should have insisted she stay behind."_

 _The honesty in his voice was unmistakable, and Lucius knew that Kingsley's feelings for his wife had run very, very deep. Still, he had never pushed himself on Hera or tried to poison their relationship, even when things had been rocky. Lucius looked at his former enemy and reached out a hand, shaking it. "In time, I'll set things right. Thank you, Kingsley, for trying your best. It was just a horrible accident."_

Once again, Kingsley had tried his best. He had risked and ultimately lost his life in protection of Hera and their child.

And that brought his thoughts back to the ever-circulating thoughts of the loss of their child. It was horrible, gut-wrenching pain that made him squeeze his sleeping wife closer to him in her sleep.

At the same time, it was nothing compared to how he had felt before he had used the Malfoy Device. If the ability to rectify things had not been there, he would not have been surprised if the tragedy would have convinced him to commit suicide after all.

Some part of him knew that the loss of his child would be something he would suffer from for the rest of his life… but it was something he could live through. His parents had survived the death of his sister, and they had been able to hold her in their arms for weeks before he passing. If Hera had died without recourse, though… that wasn't something he was sure he could survive. She was so much more to him than a wife. She was the only person he felt he really _needed._

So while the death of their baby, and Kingsley to an extent, were causing great emotional turmoil, he was also battling against a very strong current of _relief_ and _joy_ that Hera had survived the day that she originally had not. And what kind of monster feels any kind of happiness the day his unborn child dies?

* * *

Hermione half-heartedly pushed at the jell-o in the bowl in front of her with a spoon, watching it jiggle before her. Her other hand rested against her, once again, flat stomach. Occasionally, the shifting of food or some other phenomenon would cause her to feel movement against the back of her hand, and she would glance down in surprise before realizing. Still, her hand remained on her stomach, and her eyes remained on the jell-o.

Lucius had fallen asleep in the chair next to her bed, and she glanced at him periodically. She was trying not to feel angry, and she certainly wasn't about to voice her feelings on the subject. He should have known… he should have seen in the pensieve that she had splinched only because she had been struck by a curse mid-apparition. He should be just as devastated as she was at the deaths of the baby and Kingsley, but she could see that hint of relief in his eyes when he looked at her.

On one hand, she understood it. On the other, she almost wished he had just let her remain dead. Better than to live through this, surely? And there would be no reprieve, she still had a mission to complete… and she couldn't put him through the death of his wife again. She loved him.

A throat clearing caused her to look at the door, and she felt a moment of surprise to see Charlus Potter standing there.

"Mrs. Malfoy. Hera. May I come in?"

Hermione nodded, curious as to why he would be one of her first visitors. "Charlus. What can I do for you?"

Charlus walked in, standing next to her bed and holding a plain white box. "I wished to pass on my condolences for your loss, Hera. And to check on you. And… well, to give you this."

He held out the box to her, and Hermione took it, slowing opening the top to look inside. The shimmering material was something she was sure she would always recognize. She gasped lightly as she ran her hand across the silk-like material. "The cloak," she whispered, reverently. Many adventures had been found with at least one of the Golden Trio underneath its smooth cover, and she ultimately remembered them all fondly. Even Gringotts.

"You said that it might be useful to someone one day if I was willing to let someone use it. What will become of it?"

Hermione looked up at the man, shaking her head. "I don't know, Mr. Potter. The way I saw things going… things haven't gone as I expected. I can't guarantee its safety."

Charlus looked at the box in her hands for several moments before taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. "Will you do your best to safeguard it?"

Hermione smiled weakly. "I will do my best to keep it safe and to help it serve its purpose… to keep the Potters safe from Death."

Charlus nodded. "Will I live to see the grandson you've spoken of?"

Hermione shrugged, smiling softly. "I don't know that. His existence is not a guarantee with things as they are at the moment. However, if it comforts you, I can tell you about him as I know of him. Take a seat."

She turned her head to look at Lucius. He had woken and was merely watching the conversation silently. "Lucius, would you give Charlus and me some time, please?" Lucius stood and nodded at Charlus as he gave his chair up to the older man. Once he was gone, Hermione smiled gently, allowing herself to reflect on one of her best friends. It seemed as if it had been ages.

"His name is Harry, and he has one of the most pure, sacrificial souls I can imagine. He is willing to put everyone else first, even risking his own life and happiness to do it."

"That doesn't sound much like James," Charlus said, glancing out of the rooms enchanted window.

Hermione smiled. "The James I saw… the type of man he could still become… Harry definitely took after him. James would give up his life for his wife and child, I just know it. He might not have the maturity or the kindness that Harry had at his age, but the potential is there. Don't give up hope."

Charlus cleared his throat, "As a parent, you try your best. When your child does something so… it makes you feel like a failure."

Hermione nodded, sympathetically. "Don't give up, Charlus. Encourage and foster his good relationships. I promise you… Remus Lupin and Sirius Black are both friends worth having. Speaking of which, Sirius. I know you don't know him too well yet, but I want you to do me a personal favor."

"Name it," Charlus said, looking at her intently.

"Sirius spent a lot of wasted effort trying to deny the Slytherin side of himself. He wanted so desperately to fit in with his new house and disavow his family. While the Black family is not a good foundation for how to live your life, I don't want Sirius to be ashamed of his heritage. Additionally, I do not want him to grow to hate where he was sorted just because of his friend's foolish mistakes. I want him to see the good in both sides, and I want your help with that… Regardless of what happens to me and my family, I want the Potters to be there for Sirius if he needs you. Try to rekindle the relationship, and let him meet Dorea… a less dark Black than the rest of her family, yes?"

Charlus nodded. "I'll do that."

Hermione smiled. "Now, Harry. He's extremely gifted at Defense and will one day grow to marry a Weasley girl. He will be utterly besotted with her, I can promise that. He's one of the best Aurors around and wants nothing more than a peaceful existence and a big family."

"Why do you speak of him as if he is already alive?" Charlus said, looking at her quizzically.

Hermione shrugged, smiling. "In my head, he already is." Then, she continued to talk about the personality and character of her best friend, hoping desperately that it would one day come to pass, and forgetting her own pain for a few precious hours.

 _Author's note: The loss of a child or a spouse is incredibly personal, painful, and life-changing. To all who have lost those closest to them, I offer my sincere condolences and hope that I portrayed such subject matter in a way that was respectful and honest for you. This is not a subject I wrote about lightly, and I hope that is clearly reflected. I understand that everyone's experience and pain is a little different, but I hope that you eventually find peace and joy in the days ahead, focusing on the goodness that is to come without becoming obsessed with the pain you have so sadly had to endure._

 _Please take a moment to review._


	36. Chapter 36

_I have nothing to do with creating or profiting from the Harry Potter Universe. JK Rowling and Warner Bros. own the rights._

 **Chapter 36**

Abraxas had known upon finding out that Bellatrix had followed and attacked Hera while she was with Lucius and the Shacklebolts that a summons was imminent. And questions… questions could be asked that would make people curious.

If Hermione and Lucius had just been with Kingsley, it might be more reasonable. However, the addition of Roland would have made it look suspicious to anyone. Despite his grief, Roland had agreed to publicly state he had only come when his son had sent him a distressed patronus. That still put Abraxas in the position of needing to head off Bellatrix.

Within thirty minutes, Abraxas was in Voldemort's lounge, shaking with fury. It was a credit to his occlumency skills that he was able to be even that calm. Currently, his daughter-in-law was at St. Mungo's where she may or may not recover. The word was that the child was lost. He had just left Roland Shacklebolt and Albus after coming up with a hasty plan. A plan that, he was sure, would make Hera furious if she found out.

"My Lord, Bellatrix's vendetta against my family cannot stand any more. I beg of you, let me end this!"

The Dark Lord was also angry. He had already cursed a houseelf to fly into the lit fireplace with enough force that the poor creature's head cracked open against the brick backing. The smell of its burning body would have turned his stomach at any other time, but Abraxas was too busy to give much notice. It _was_ just a house elf.

"Patience, Abraxas. I am sure this can wait. Wouldn't you prefer to be with your family while I track down Bellatrix?" the Dark Lord said, voice smooth, despite the fire in his eyes.

Abraxas shook his head. "No. I want this dealt with. Now, if it pleases you."

The Dark Lord nodded. "Very well."

Abraxas reached his bared forearm out to the other man and didn't even wince as he called his followers. Rodolphus and Antonin were two of the first to arrive and looked at Abraxas with confusion on their faces. Others filed in silently, seeming to sense that this was not a meeting where socializing would be smiled upon. It wasn't until Cygnus Black appeared that Voldemort spoke from his chair seated in front of the fire.

"Rodolphus. Where is your wife?"

Rodolphus's eyes widened for a moment before he shook his head. "My Lord, I have not seen her since she left our home this morning."

"Cygnus. Your daughter. Where is she?"

Cygnus shook his head but was glaring across the room at his son-in-law. "I saw her a few evenings ago but not since. I am sure she will be here soon."

The Dark Lord nodded, thoughtfully, taking in the man's expression. "I am curious as to why you seem to be upset with Rodolphus, Cygnus."

Cygnus's glare heated, never leaving the gaze of Rodolphus. "Bellatrix did not inform you, my Lord, because she was sure that the personal problems of your servants would be of no interest to you. However, she informed me that she believes Rodolphus to be unfaithful to her."

Abraxas felt his heart start to beat faster. This could be useful.

"With who?" the Dark Lord intoned, quietly.

Cygnus smirked cruelly, looking at Abraxas. "That Elias bitch seems to have made a cuckold of your son, Abraxas. Her spawn could turn out to not even _be_ a Malfoy."

Just then, the remaining house elf of the residence, led in Bellatrix Lestrange, shaking fiercely.. He practically ran from the room after a fearful glance at his coworkers body in the hearth, though no one paid much attention.

Rodolphus stepped toward his wife. "Telling lies to your father, Bellatrix?!" he said, angrily.

Bellatrix raised her hand to her husband, looking only at the Dark Lord. "My Lord, I have something to-"

"Caeslingua!" Abraxas yelled, whipping his wand at the woman. Blood spewed from Bellatrix's mouth as she fell to her knees, spitting her tongue onto the floor. "I will not hear your lies, bitch!"

Cygnus's wand was trained on Abraxas and a curse seemed to be about to be shouted when the Dark Lord stood up. "Enough!"

Abraxas still had his wand trained on Bellatrix, eager to end her life. Even more eager to make sure she could not report anything unusual.

"Abraxas. Cygnus. Lower your wands."

Slowly, both men did so, and Cygnus went to his daughter, kneeling next to her as she cried in panic. "My Lord! How can you let him do this!"

The Dark Lord shook his head. "I will likely let him do much more, Cygnus." Then, he addressed the room. "Roughly an hour ago, Bellatrix attacked Hera and Lucius Malfoy while they were walking into Hogsmeade with a school friend, Kingsley Shacklebolt. She hit Hera with a cutting curse to the abdomen. To my understanding, the baby is gone. We do not have a prognosis for Hera, yet, but we are hopeful. Lucius took her to St. Mungo's quickly, and then Bellatrix supposedly killed the Shacklebolt boy. His father arrived to see him gutted."

Abraxas glanced at Rodolphus and Antonin. Rodolphus looked pale and worried, staring at the Dark Lord intently. Antonin's wand was in his hand, and he was staring daggers at Bellatrix. The air seemed denser around him, the shadows in the room longer and more menacing.

The room murmured very quietly, and the Dark Lord continued. "While I do not mind the death of the boy, I am angry that it puts a face to one of our number. People will be suspicious of the Blacks now, and their associates. Bellatrix has put your identities in jeopardy."

The murmuring heightened a bit, voices seeming angry. Bellatrix was shaking her head frantically, spitting blood onto the floor.

"What I am even more angered with is the fact that Bellatrix perceived a slight against herself and took matters into her own hands against my most trusted associate. I would ask you what you have to say for yourself, but it seems Abraxas was a bit too quick to act."

Fortunately for Abraxas, Voldemort did not seem to be directing his anger toward him. It was reserved for the witch on the floor.

Bellatrix looked at the Dark Lord, still shaking her head and pleading. The Dark Lord turned his eyes to Rodolphus. "Is there truth to the story that Bellatrix told her father?"

Rodolphus shook his head, glancing quickly at Abraxas. "None, my Lord. Bellatrix has been becoming more and more distressed that she has not fallen pregnant yet. She has been tracking my movements and seeming less and less stable as time has passed."

The Dark Lord nodded. "Abraxas. Do you have an opinion?"

Abraxas glared at Bellatrix, wand firmly in grip at his side. "There is no sane reason to believe that Hera has been unfaithful to Lucius. They are both good friends to Rodolphus as he is to them. My grandchild _is_ a Malfoy, a fact I am sure not even you would dare to dispute, my Lord. Bellatrix has always had an unhealthy obsession with Lucius. Many of us here have seen it."

Several heads nodded, and Antonin spoke up. "Bellatrix has always hated Hera. In our seventh year, she attacked Hera from behind when Lucius announced his intentions toward her. She's just as keen to kill Hera as she is to bed Lucius."

The Dark Lord looked at Rodolphus. "Lestrange. What are your feelings on this?"

Rodolphus looked around the room once. "Everything they say is true. I married Bellatrix because I had a contract to fulfill. I have been true to it, but I do not have any warm feelings for her."

"And if she were to die?"

Rodolphus shrugged. "I'd have the opportunity to find someone more capable and sane to create heirs to my family. With complete honesty, my freedom from this sham of a union would make me even more grateful to you, my Lord." Rodolphus's hands were twitching with excitement, his eyes locked steadfast on that of his doomed wife.

The Dark Lord smiled, then. "It seems everyone is in agreement. I was very clear in what would happen if I was disobeyed, and I seem to remember warning Bellatrix to leave Hera be many, many times."

Bellatrix shook her head frantically, trying to speak through her ruined mouth. The words were not discernable, but no one was trying to understand her anyway.

"My Lord! She is my daughter! I beg for mercy! Please!" Cygnus said, crawling toward the Dark Lord on his knees.

The Dark Lord tutted. "Cygnus, Cygnus, Cygnus… if you had raised them better perhaps you wouldn't have one off playing house with a mudblood and this sorry excuse for a daughter before me. You have hope with Narcissa. I suggest you do better with her while you still have time. She's always been the most beautiful and clever of the three anyway. Obviously the most sane. Now, in the interest of Abraxas and Hera's friends being able to see her soon- let us get this over with."

Bellatrix's muffled screams lasted for only thirty minutes before the Dark Lord dismissed the meeting, but several members left satisfied that justice had been meted out as well as it could be. Even if it couldn't be by their own wand.

* * *

Hermione knew that to rush things could have horrible consequences. It was always best to go into a situation with your eyes wide open and a plan firmly in place. At the same time, Hermione had never really operated that way in the most serious of situations.

She, Harry, and Ron had flown by the seat of their pants growing up, and it had always worked out… mostly.

This reasoning was why she was currently laid up in the rooms given to her and Lucius to use at Malfoy Manor while Lucius was doing what she wanted him to do. She was on strict bed rest for another week before she could return to school, and Adeline had insisted on having them there.

She was sure she could have convinced her husband to wait for her to accompany him, especially now that the threat of Bellatrix was gone. However, she just wanted it over and done with. Roland and Lucius had gone to retrieve the ring themselves, recruiting Mad Eye to be a third in case things went south.

They had left almost two hours ago, and Hermione was starting to get restless. Here eyes jerked up from the book of crossword puzzles on her lap, and she met the eyes of her father-in-law. She looked back down.

"Hera. You cannot be angry with me forever," he said, coming to sit at the chair next to her bed.

"Who says that I am angry?" she said, tersely.

Abraxas rolled his eyes, a gesture that would have made Hermione laugh if she had been watching to catch it or in the mood to laugh at all. "Surely you understand why I had to act so quickly. If she had been able to tell the Dark Lord that you had met with Kingsley and Roland and were in the middle of going somewhere with them… well, suspicions would have been aroused. The Dark Lord already had us trying to keep tabs on the Shacklebolts."

Hermione cleared her throat at the brief thought of Kingsley and marked "lacewing" for 7 down. "I know that."

"In that case, why do you insist on giving me the cold shoulder? Surely our family has been through enough to not add petty squabbles to the situation," Abraxas said, exasperation clearly in his tone.

Hermione put her pen down in the book and closed it, setting it on the nightstand. Slowly, she turned her full attention to Abraxas. "I wanted to be there."

"You were… indisposed," Abraxas said, quietly. In truth, as far as he knew, she was unconscious at St. Mungo's while Bellatrix was dealt with as healers fought to save her life for over three hours.

"I should have been the one to do it," she said, feeling anger seep into her tone.

"Might I point out that the Dark Lord was the one to kill her?" he said in response, putting his hands on his lap.

Hermione glared at him, then. "Yes, you have said as much. Why not track her down and bring her to me? Put her in the dungeons until I could deal with her?"

Abraxas sighed. "We have been over this. I had no idea where she had gone, but I knew she'd come when the Dark Lord called her. You know it would have been disastrous for her to get to him before me. We were extremely lucky that she spoke to Cygnus over her idiotic concerns over you and Rodolphus. If she had not, or if he had not called a full meeting… Everything went as well as it possibly could have concerning her death."

"I know that!" she half-shouted, gripping the sheets in her hands. Her silk robe felt hot on her now as her body temperature heated up in her anger.

"Why are you taking all of this out on me? You aren't yelling at Lucius. Circe, Hera, you aren't even yelling about Bellatrix!" Abraxas said, starting to feel himself grow angry in response.

"BECAUSE I CAN!" Hermione yelled.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Abraxas said, standing up.

Hermione glared. "I can't do anything _about_ Bellatrix because she is dead, and when I think of her I feel as if I am out of control. I can't… I can't deal with that yet! And Lucius… you of all people know exactly what Lucius went through to see me safe, and he lost a child, too! I can't be mad at him! It would ruin him… ruin _us!_ "

"But it's okay to be rude to me?" Abraxas said, glaring in return.

"No! But it is safe!" Hermione said forcefully. Then, she was silent.

Abraxas regarded his daughter-in-law. As much as he hated to say it, she had a point. He wouldn't wish her anger to be on Lucius. His son was already struggling with guilt and pain he was all too familiar with. Where as the loss of Luciana had, in the end, made his marriage with Adeline stronger, he could see that it could easily have gone the other way.

After gathering his thoughts, Abraxas reseated himself, looking at Hera. Her eyes were downcast again, but he could see the tears leaking out. "I understand," he said, resolutely, causing her to look up at him in surprise.

"What?"

Abraxas nodded once. "I understand. Things are horrible now, but you know that we are nearing the end of this. You need to have your head on straight. Ultimately, your vengeance needs to be directed at our true enemy, but I understand. Take your time, but don't allow your anger to consume you. I'll give you your space, and if you need to yell at someone… let me know. We both know this time of rest and recovery will end soon, and your forced responsibilities will resume."

"Yes," she said, rubbing at her eyes.

Abraxas nodded and reached out to squeeze her hand. They both looked lost for words at the moment, but it didn't matter much. The silence was interrupted by Lucius walking into the room, holding a black velvet bag. "It's done," he said, coming to stand next to his father's chair.

Hermione felt herself exhale a breath of relief that felt as if it had been trapped inside for a long time. "And now, only the diary," she whispered.

Lucius nodded, a look of resolve in his eyes. "The diary. I'll get this to Dumbledore now and arrange the next meeting." He leaned down and gently kissed his wife's lips.

"We will end this, love. We will end him. For us. For her."

"For Seraphina," she responded in a whisper.

* * *

The wait had been long and arduous all around. Still, as Hermione sat in the small Order meeting after a week into her return to Hogwarts, she was still feeling the itch of anticipation as fresh as the moment when Lucius had shown her the Slytherin family ring.

The retrieval of the diary was imminent, but a firm plan had not been put in place. Hermione was all for pushing ahead, but not at the expense of more lives. They wanted to be sure that Voldemort was not suspicious of them and would not move the diary.

Rodolphus had done a remarkable job considering he was the key to getting the last horcrux and knew that it was important, if not exactly how important.

The Dark Lord had reportedly asked if the diary was still in his possession, and Rodolphus had confirmed that it was, but in a way that was blasé enough to make the Dark Lord think he didn't _appreciate_ the gift that Rodolphus had been entrusted with. Roddy still had a slight tremor in his left hand three days later from the time spent under Cruciatus. He had promised to keep an even more diligent eye on the diary secured in his home, and the Dark Lord had seemed pleased.

Roland was struggling with the death of Kingsley, understandably, and Hermione was currently listening to him try to convince the members in attendance that it was in everyone's best interest for them to publicly out Lord Voldemort as the half-born orphan that he was.

"Albus, Bellatrix Lestrange would likely have not _dreamed_ of following a half-blood had she known, no matter if her father was old school chums with the man! How many of his can we take off of the battlefield if they know him for what he is?"

Moody shook his head, "I agree we'd take some off, but those are dangerous Dark Wizards we can formally arrest if they show up to fight with him. If they run off, it only gives them the time to start a campaign of their own in the future. More danger now saves us all in the long run."

Albus sighed, "Abraxas, Hera- what input do you have?"

Hermione gave Abraxas the floor with a wave of a hand. He knew most of the Dark Lord's followers much better than she did.

"Sadly, I don't think it would deter most of them. They would have to fear the Wizengamot and a chance at Azkaban more than they fear the Dark Lord. They'll fight for him and his cause because it would be death not to do so."

"Their admission of guilt would see them in Azkaban for years, if not the rest of their lives!" Roland protested.

Hermione spoke up then. "If this was a time in the future, yes. There is both a good and a bad side to the fact that they as a group have not committed too many atrocities. We'd have to catch them in the act to be able to charge them seriously enough to demand Veritaserum be used. Without it, they could plead coercion or the Imperius curse. They are too slippery."

"Says the snake," Moody muttered under his breath.

Hermione glared at him, "I'm arguing your way, you nitwit." Abraxas was fingering the wand on his lap next to her, glaring at the man who loved his wife.

Albus interjected, attempting to stave off an argument between the Malfoys and Moody. "How many of them that would be put off by his status would you consider to be threats of joining up with whatever next Dark Lord came about?"

"They'd want muscle to throw their lots in with. Only a few of the current Death Eaters are powerful enough to _themselves_ become Dark Lords even nearing the amount of power _He_ has. Those ones are die hards that won't stop because they see the power in it even if they aren't the figurehead… in fact, they might prefer to work behind the scenes."

Abraxas nodded, "I agree. They are okay with not running the world themselves, as long as they get a piece of the action and their goals are met."

Albus looked at each of them before meeting Roland's gaze. "After all of this is over, we will let everyone know exactly who Lord Voldemort was," he said, smoothly. He ignored the winces of the two Slytherin spies in the room. "For now, I agree with your fellows. Now, shall we move on to the destruction of the horcruxes?"

* * *

 _Author's Note: I know it feels like I should have written Hermione and Lucius in the hospital, but I couldn't get it how I wanted it and got tired of dealing with the emotions of it. I hope to revamp this story in the future, fixing little things. If I am able to, I'll add in that scene later. Thanks for reading! Please review!_


	37. Chapter 37

_JK Rowling created and owns Harry Potter. I make no profit from this work of fiction based upon her wonderful creation._

 **Chapter 37**

With Abraxas's subtle persuasion, the Dark Lord had waited longer than any would have expected to summon Hera to his side once more. Three weeks after the loss of her child, and with Halloween fast approaching, Hermione and Abraxas found themselves seated in the study at Malfoy Manor, in which the Dark Lord had deemed appropriate to hold their next meeting.

They both quickly stood as a Malfoy elf led the Dark Lord into the room, bending at the waist politely.

"My Lord," they intoned.

The Dark Lord nodded in response, and they straightened. Abraxas moved to sit next to Hera on the small couch as opposed to keeping the Master's chair behind the desk. On his way to his honorary seat, the Dark Lord stopped, looking closely at Hera.

"Hera, my most able helper, how are you coping with the loss of your child?"

Hermione felt her eyes tickle as tears threatened to form but quickly locked those thoughts away. She cleared her throat and looked up at Lord Voldemort. "My pain is still quite real, and I am sure it will remain so. I am pushing onward, though. Thank you for your concern."

"Of course. Now," he said, as he walked around the desk and took Abraxas's seat. "I wanted to clear the air, so to speak. When Bellatrix came to me, I was understandably very angry, and I did not think about your own righteous drive for vengeance against her. While her death was completely justified, I am sorry I took away the opportunity for you to dole out the punishment."

Hermione remained silent for a beat, thoughts twisting in her head. _Was_ it just the act of disobedience that had driven him to kill Bellatrix, or did part of him care specifically about her? She also was quite sure that she had never heard of Lord Voldemort apologizing to anyone… ever. Still didn't mean she wasn't going to kill the psychopath.

"If I didn't understand you to be a very talented occlumens, I would tell you to not wear your heart on your sleeve. I think I have shown quite clearly that I favor you, and in fact if I had ever had the experience of having a family, I believe how I feel about you would be the closest to it. I mourn the loss of your daughter and the pain that you and your husband must be feeling. As well as his family," the Dark Lord finished, throwing a courteous nod at Abraxas.

Abraxas was still next to her, listening stoically.

"Now, my point in this small meeting is this- I require a vow, and someone to be our bonder."

Hermione's eyes widened. "We never… talked about something like that."

"Yes. I am aware. When our alliance began, you were very skeptical of me and what my expectations would be for you. With time, especially throughout the death of Nott, I believed you to be coming around to the reality that society is changing and that you must change with it. After all of this recent unpleasantness against you by an ardent supporter of me, I question your dedication and trustworthiness. I require a vow of loyalty."

Hermione balked, but Abraxas put a hand on her shoulder. "You are Hera Malfoy, are you not? I expect you to honor your commitment to our cause as a member of my family. You must do this, Hera."

She caught a look of approval given to Abraxas by Voldemort, and took a moment to think. Abraxas was insane. A vow of commitment by her… by her name! She swallowed once before nodding.

"I won't lie. I was displeased that you killed her, but I understand it as well. I will make my vow formal… I intend to keep my word. I humbly request that you keep the part of our arrangement that is in place on your part though. You must acknowledge that you _have_ made my hands unnecessarily dirty. Lucius… You will vow to leave Lucius alone. If I am alive, you will keep your interaction with him to an absolute minimum."

She felt Abraxas stiffen, but Lord Voldemort chuckled.

"My dear, I promised I would not attempt to recruit him."

"Yes, but I want more than that. I _am_ trustworthy, and I _will_ vow to support your cause in whatever way you see fit. In return, you will promise to do what is in your power to keep Lucius safe from harm, away from the ramifications of being associated with you."

"Done," the Dark Lord said, eyes greedy. Her promise to support him as he saw fit… that was something to be had.

"Go ahead, Abraxas… Father," Hermione said, solemnly. She stood and Voldemort moved around the desk to take her hands. They were cold, dry, and thin… holding hands with the most evil man she had ever met felt strange. Intimate and repugnant. But ultimately wonderful.

"Do you, Hera Malfoy nee Elias, swear fealty to our Lord Voldemort. You will do whatever he requires of you to further his cause?"

"I, Hera Malfoy, do so swear," she said, confidently.

"Do you, Lord Voldemort, swear to keep your interactions with Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, to a minimum? You will not purposefully cause him harm, directly or indirectly?" Hermione and Abraxas both ignored the stinging pain they felt from the Dark Lord's self-stylized name being spoken.

"I, Lord Voldemort, do so swear," he said, seeming as eager for something as she had ever heard from the unusually calm, if horrible, man.

As they separated, the Dark Lord rubbed his hands together, warming them from the unnatural magical cold that hand enraptured them as he made his vow. Watching him, Hermione did the same. She felt triumphant and warm, both inside and out. Lucius was, undoubtedly, safe from the man before her. And she, _Hermione Malfoy nee Granger_ , did not owe the man a damned thing for it.

The Dark Lord nodded his head, "Very well. Now that our business is done, shall we call the others here for our meeting?"

* * *

Hermione sat to one side of the Dark Lord with Abraxas across from her at the large dining room table. Sterling Parkinson was next to Abraxas, looking decidedly pleased with himself. Sterling was seated where Cygnus would have been at any other time, but Cygnus had not come to this meeting. According to Abraxas, he had figured out how important he was to his Lord. Hermione saw that Antonin and Vaughn didn't seem very confused either with the placement of their comrade.

"Death Eaters, I have good news to bear!" Lord Voldemort said, smiling in his shark-like way. "Minister Jenkins, after conversations with and notes sent by many of you, has finally decided to step down from her position after the most terrible loss of her husband."

Scattered applause went about as people had their interest piqued by the news.

"The most thanks in this can only go to Mr. Parkinson. Mr. Parkinson has been campaigning for a replacement with the Minister. He has been selected to become interim Minister in the stead of his direct superior, Bartemius Crouch. While Crouch chose to allow this to happen, in order to plan his run for the permanent position to be voted on two months hence, Mr. Parkinson will be making every effort to put my name in the running. Your financial aide and endorsements will be much appreciated as we make the final push to be able to make our values into law!"

Hermione was surprised to hear the news. It must have come down fast. Of course, there would be more competition for the spot, but Hermione was sure that Crouch would not be hard to beat. Dumbledore wouldn't want someone so… zealous… in the position, and he would propose a third contender. Perhaps Roland? Even so, Crouch would be much better than Voldemort.

It was in that moment that a wave of accomplishment moved through her. While she knew violence was occurring, the Dark Lord had obviously decided that brute force was not the way to go if there were other options. That was most certainly not something he had followed up on in her original timeline. He definitely still had to die, but perhaps the loss of civilian life wouldn't be so high.

The meeting was rather dry considering the lack of blood and violent plans, but Hermione made the time to catch Rodolphus's eye down the table. After a moment of locked gazes, Hermione was sure her message got across.

After the meeting was over, everyone went their separate ways, including the Dark Lord. As planned, Rodolphus lingered.

When it was just him, Hermione, and Abraxas still there, they went to the family living room. "I don't see the point in waiting any longer… Abraxas?"

Abraxas nodded his head once. "It is time. We have everything as prepared as it can be."

Hermione looked at Rodolphus, "When can you get us the diary He left with you?"

Rodolphus shrugged, causing Abraxas to sneer slightly. "I have to go to Gringotts. Can you come to my house tonight?"

Hermione frowned. "It seems stupid to put this off, you know, but… could you get it to me tomorrow instead? I'll be in Hogsmeade with Severus and his friends to chaperone the weekend. I am very behind and Albus has time to help me catch up on grading tonight. Albus and Abraxas haven't set up the rune warding yet, either. It's safe enough where it is for the night."

"Adeline and I are going to have dinner with Lucius and Hera tomorrow evening. I am working at home and have business at the ministry, but Adeline has a free day. Can she get it from you tomorrow on her way to Hogsmeade?" Abraxas offered. "I can work on the warding after dinner tomorrow night while I am at Hogwarts, too."

Rodolphus nodded. "That works. So, when am I going to be told exactly why this thing is so important?"

Hermione smiled. "A few days from now… when it isn't important anymore. Be prepared for a fight, okay? You'll know when."

* * *

Adeline Malfoy was very excited about the day. She was going to pick up _the package_ to take to Hera and Lucius, and then she was going to spend the evening doing the last bit of strategizing before making the move to make her life the peaceful, utopian existence that she showed the outside world she already had.

As such, she had a warm smile on her face as Rodolphus stood from the couch to greet her when she came out of his fireplace. "Rodolphus!" she said, kissing him on both cheeks.

"Mrs. Malfoy. It is a pleasure to see you as always," Rodolphus said. He'd always liked Adeline. While his relationship with his mother was not necessarily negative, she lacked a lot of the warmth that radiated from Adeline. He was more of an heir than a son to the Lestrange Family.

"The pleasure is mine. I wish I could stay and chat, but I am quite eager to get our business here done with," she said, requesting leniency and expedience.

Rodolphus nodded, taking her arm as he led her through the house he used to share with his bitch of a wife. They walked into the library, and he didn't waste time in leading her to the bookcase that the book was perched on.

"I'll be just a moment," he said, pulling out his wand. He set about removing the safeguards he and Bellatrix had placed around the diary. Being the son of a smuggler, he knew quite a lot about keeping things out of the notice of people who might mess with something they shouldn't.

After ten minutes, he finally reached out, plucking the book from its spot between two books of similar size. He winced upon holding it. "Just be aware. It absolutely drips of his magic. Revolting, honestly. I'm happy to be rid of…. Whatever it is."

Adeline nodded as she accepted the diary. "Thank you, Rodolphus. You have no idea yet what you have done, but I assure you that it is most necessary. You know to expect to hear from someone soon?"

Rodolphus nodded. "I've cleared my calendar as much as possible. Take care, Adeline."

"Goodbye!" she said, a bounce in her step as she walked through the house back toward the floo, despite the disgusting piece of magic she held. When she was only a few steps from the fire, the flames lit up green. A moment later, Lord Voldemort stood before her, eyes quickly spying the book in her hand.

"Adeline! What a surprise," he drawled, wand already drawn and aimed at her. "I must say I am quite thankful I placed a charm to let me know if anyone other than Bellatrix or Rodolphus touched the book. I can't help but be shocked you know enough to be taking it, though… especially considering your husband shouldn't even know it exists."

Adeline's eyes widened in horror before she screamed, "RODOLPHUS!"

She was silenced and thrown against the desk, grasping desperately at the book to keep it in her possession. A moment later, Rodolphus appeared with his wand in the doorway, eyes wide as he saw his Lord with a wand aimed at Adeline as she tried to pick herself up from the floor.

"Rodolphus… put down your wand and explain yourself, or I will make her death very painful indeed."

Rodolphus looked at Adeline, and he saw the flicker of resolve in her eyes before he saw the book come sailing to him. He caught it as she screamed, "RUN!" And, knowing that it had to be _more_ , he apparated quickly away, leaving Adeline Malfoy at the mercy of Lord Voldemort.

 _Author's Note: We are rapidly approaching the end of this story, and I hope you've been enjoying yourself. Please send a review! They make me smile._


	38. Chapter 38

_Disclaimer: I still don't own it; I still don't make money from it._

 **Chapter 38- a nice long one for you for being so patient!**

Adeline watched with grim satisfaction as Rodolphus ran from the room and smiled when she heard the sound of apparition echo into the room.

Lord Voldemort's wand was held aloft, pointed at the empty door. He seemed surprised… and angry. He looked at her then, and the smile she was sporting took away any surprise he felt and doubled the anger.

"Surely you know what you are in for," he said, threatening Adeline as he turned his wand on her.

She met his eyes. "Yes. You don't know what _you_ are in for though," she said, smile widening. Her head pounded from the collision with the heavy desk, and she was quite sure her ankle at the least was severely strained from how she landed, possibly broken. She would not be walking out of there today… she'd likely never walk again.

The realization that she was going to die washed over her, bringing a wave of emotions that she kept carefully locked away. She couldn't allow them to overwhelm her now. Abraxas… he would be inconsolable for a time. Fortunately, his relationship with Lucius was stronger than it had ever been, and Hera had truly connected with the man in a way that Adeline thought no one else ever had. He would be okay with time.

Lucius had Hera, and they would have more children. The loss of his mother would be hard, but she had taken the obligatory step back from Lucius when he had married a woman she would have hand selected if given the chance. She had not been the first woman in his life for a while now. He would move on from this okay.

Death itself… she'd been ready to meet it on some level ever since she had lost Luciana. Knowing that she would have her baby girl back soon soothed what she was sure would be a very painful death. The process of getting to her daughter would be arduous, but she would cope. She had to.

She would protect the biggest of the secrets she held. He would get more than she wanted, but… she would crack before she gave it all.

"How did you know about my horcruxes? How did Abraxas figure it out?"

Her attention was drawn once more to the evil wizard that glared at her from across the room. He had to go. She might not get to see what life would be like without the threat of Him surrounding her family, but she knew he was practically done for. It was a worthy cause she was comfortable facing death for.

The amusement remained in her eyes as she steeled her resolve. The smile turned into a sneer of mocking disgust. "Do your worst, arsehole."

It was with certain amount of pride, however uncouth they were, that those were the last words she ever spoke aloud.

* * *

It was a beautiful fall day, and Hermione was enjoying a canteen of butterbeer with Severus and Sirius. Remus had his nose in a book, saying that he had been happy to come with them to Hogsmeade, but he absolutely had to multitask with some studying for Binns' class. There were leaning against some trees outside of Hogsmeade, enjoying the sunshine from the hill that overlooked the tiny village. They watched as students walked the path to the town about twenty feet away from them, the boys gossiping over who was with who.

Sirius sighed as he glanced at Remus before looking at Severus. "Thank Merlin I have one friend that isn't so desperate to impress a ghost!"

Remus's head shot up, and he glared at Sirius before looking to Hera for support. "I'm sorry he is stupid enough to insult another staff member right in front of you, professor. History is important!"

Hermione held a straight face for a moment before trying to hide her grin behind her canteen as she took hold of her composure. "I take no offense, Mr. Lupin. I might trust that Professor Dumbledore is constantly trying to do his best by everyone, but that is a firing that should have happened long ago."

Sirius and Severus both laughed at the gobsmacked expression on Remus's face, hitting their own canteens together happily.

"Crap," Remus muttered to himself, watching the path as he dog-earred a page and put his book down. The others followed his gaze to see James Potter walking up the short hill to see them. The boys collectively groaned, but Hermione managed to keep it in. James had been seeking out Remus and Sirius repeatedly in an attempt to regain their friendship. While Remus hadn't completely written off the other boy, he certainly knew what happened when their interactions happened around Sirius and Severus.

"I learned this excellent jinx," Sirius muttered to Severus, excitedly. Hermione cleared her throat loudly and threw a look at the two dark haired boys.

"Civility at the least, boys," she encouraged, and Remus nodded in agreement.

James made it up the hill, looking at his shoes most of the way. The boys and Hermione watched him expectantly. After a moment, Severus said, "Potter…"

James looked up and took a deep breath. "I… uh… I wanted to apologize," he said, looking directly at Severus.

Severus raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, an unimpressed look coming over his face. "For what?"

James blushed, but kept eye contact. "I… I've been an arse. I know that it doesn't excuse it. I said… I said some really horrible stuff to you. I don't know _why_ exactly. It started because of you and Lily… I've always liked her and…"

"She's my friend," Severus interrupted. "Nothing more. I doubt there ever will be. We've been friends forever, but we aren't even that close now. She spends her time with McKinnon mostly."

James nodded, glancing at the others for a moment. "I know. You just… Everything seems to come so easy to you. You have _everything_ I feel like I want."

Sirius looked ready to interject, but Remus put a hand on his arm. This didn't involve them…yet.

Severus rolled his eyes. "The problem with you, Potter, is you don't value what you _do_ have. Parents that love you and take care of you. Friends who were loyal to you to a fault. When we started here, I would have said you had everything _I_ wanted."

James nodded, quiet.

Severus seemed to weigh his words before speaking, a virtue that would always endear him to those around him. "I suppose from your point of view, it does seem like I have a lot of things you want. The thing is though, that… it didn't come easy, and a lot of screwed up stuff has happened…"

James met his eyes intently, then. "I… I owe you an apology especially for that. What I… what I said about you and your mother. I mean… if the papers are true, she must have loved you like crazy. I can't even imagine loving someone like that!"

Hermione felt a tear come to her eye, knowing that James most certainly could become a man capable of living with pain and fear, all for the love of his child. _Harry_.

Severus, to his credit, kept his composure, though she could see the mention of his mother still hurt. She felt her hand come to rest against her now empty stomach. She was familiar with the same sort of pain. "Thank you. I loved her very much as well. Still do."

"And your father," James said, looking at his feet again. "He… he must have been very hard to grow up with. I am sorry it was like that for you, and… well, some people are just mean and spiteful and cruel." A look of recognition and then more embarrassment crossed his face. "I… I don't want to be like that. You don't deserve any of it. No one does. And, I just… I'm sorry for everything. I don't know if it will change things, and I know I might just have to deal with how things are now, but… you deserved to hear it. I'm sorry… Severus."

Severus looked at James, seriously, trying to see any lie in his words. Any proof that he might just be saying what he thought the others wanted to hear. After a moment, he nodded. "It's forgiven."

James' eyes widened in disbelief, and Hermione was eager to see what he would say next, but his response was interrupted by someone screaming her name.

"HERA!"

Hermione looked passed James to see Rodolphus running up to them, diary clutched in his hands. "He…. He knew Adeline had it. He's got her!"

She felt a wave of nausea and fear come over her, and she paled. The four boys looked between them all in surprise. "Fuck, Roddy. Where?"

"At my place. He came through the floo. I… I don't know if there's saving her," he said.

At that moment, both cried out as their hands snapped to their forearms, burning like never before. Rodolphus vomited from the pain, while Hermione tried to think. After a moment, the pain tapered, and Hermione looked at the boys. Reaching into the red beaded bag she always carried with her when she left the castle, she pulled out her emergency portkey, a small pocketwatch. She handed it to Severus. "Severus, you need to take Rodolphus to Dumbledore. Tell him 999 and halfway to Hogsmeade. He will understand."

Severus only hesitated a moment before grabbing her into a hug, taking the pocketwatch from her. "I love you," he whispered. Hermione nodded, feeling tears come to her eyes as she pushed him toward Rodolphus. "Go. The word is phoenix."

Severus grabbed Rodolphus, who clutched the diary tightly, and a moment later they were gone.

She then looked at her other favorite student. "Sirius, do you have your portkey?"

Sirius nodded, pulling it out to show her. She shuddered a breath, "It can only take you. You need to go see Abraxas. Now. Tell him 999 and to go to the room. _Do not_ mention anything else. Do you understand?!"

"Yes, but- "

"GO NOW!" He nodded frantically and yelled "Abraxas Malfoy" before he was gone as well, leaving Hermione with Remus and James.

Hermione took a few moments to prepare herself for what was to come. Earlier than expected, and with more drama… this was going to end today for better or for worse.

Lucius and Abraxas popped into existence next to her. "It's time?" James and Remus looked incredibly confused and terrified.

Hermione nodded. "Yes. We have to keep him busy while Albus-"

Hermione's arm burst into pain once more. Through her pain, she reached into her bag and pulled out a silvery cloak. Abraxas was tightly gripping his own arm in the opposite hand.

She threw it at James and Remus, barely catching James's shock. "Hey! That belongs to my-"

"HIDE!" she yelled, prompting the boys to quickly obey.

Abraxas shook his head, "How did he find out?" He gripped his arm tightly, finding that pressure dulled the pain of the mark a bit.

Hermione looked at him blankly, unsure what to say. Unsure how to process what had surely happened. "I…." She gripped her own arm, crying out in pain.

Several pops happened as various order members started to pop up around them. Several others were running down the path from Hogsmeade, wands drawn. Moody and Roland approached quickly.

"Show time?" Moody said, looking strangely excited at the prospect.

Hermione nodded. "Yes. Have people spread out and split up. I don't want us all clumped together. He'll be gunning for me and Abraxas. We can safely assume our covers are blown."

* * *

Albus had looked up in surprise from his desk to see Severus and Rodolphus land in a heap on the floor. He stood in shock upon hearing the panic in Severus's voice. " _Hera says 999. Halfway to Hogsmeade."_

Rodolphus climbed to his feet, thrusting the diary toward Albus. "Take it. He knows. He has Adeline."

Severus's eyes widened as the implications of that statement came to him. "What… what's happening, sir?"

Albus walked around his desk toward Fawkes' perch. He cast a spell at the wooden beam behind it and they both watched as part of it swung out, revealing a hollow interior. The headmaster reached inside, pulling out various velvet bags of differing sizes.

"The Dark Lord is to be made mortal today. I must destroy these, and then Rodolphus and I must join Hera in Hogsmeade for the confrontation. He knows she's a spy, Mr. Lestrange?"

Rodolphus was wiping tears from his eyes, glaring down at the diary laid upon the desk. "I… I greatly suspect so. I am sure he interrogated Adeline."

Albus nodded resolutely before casting the Patronus Charm. When his Phoenix appeared, he said, "Minerva McGonagall, alert the chain. Halfway to Hogsmeade. Expect a fight."

"Is Mrs. Malfoy okay?" Severus asked with concern, looking alarmed.

Albus and Rodolphus both looked at him sharply but didn't answer.

"Bring the diary, Rodolphus. Let's go," Albus finally said.

They ran through the halls of Hogwarts, an act which had many students looking at them in concern. They did pass Professor Flitwick as he ran in the opposite direction down the stairs toward the entrance hall. They didn't even acknowledge each other in their haste. At last, they came upon a blank wall on the 7th floor. Albus stopped running, almost causing Severus and Rodolphus to run into him from behind.

He concentrated as he paced back and forth three times, and the young men looked on in surprise as a door appeared. "Come in," he told them, taking the lead once more.

The room was utterly bare except for a large runic circle painted on the floor in front of them. Albus quickly walked to its center and started dropping the objects out of the bag and onto the floor. Rodolphus tossed the diary onto the small stack.

It was a strange assortment of objects. The diary. A chalice. A locket. A ring. Some sort of tiara, as well.

Albus looked around the circle at the runes carefully, making sure that nothing had been altered or changed since he and Abraxas had painted them a week ago. He finally nodded. "You two wait by the door. The circle should contain the flame, but if things go awry, make a hasty retreat. It won't make it out of the room, I know."

They didn't ask questions, but went to stand by the closed door as instructed. The headmaster walked to the very edge of the circle, still inside, and pointed his wand at the objects a mere 5 feet away.

"FIENDFYRE!" he cast, watching as the flames leapt from his wand and set upon the horcruxes. It did not stay there for long though. Giant beasts leapt from the flames, churning out of it like lava flowing upward from a volcano. The headmaster left the circle and ran toward them at the door. They watched, waiting for the possibility that they would need to quickly retreat from the room. The circle held the fire at bay, though, forming a round wall of flames. Severus listened as shrieks and screams seemed to emit from the cursed fire, halfway making him wonder if somehow, something alive had slipped in there, and they had not noticed.

After roughly ten minutes, the fire had nothing more to eat, and it died out. The two men and Severus walked to the edge of the circle, seeing that the ground and ceiling were both charred black in a perfect circle. Amongst the ash in center, three serpents writhed.

"Ashwinders. Professors Kettleburn and Slughorn will be most pleased," Albus commented, turning to walk from the room. Rodolphus followed.

"Sir," Severus said, interrupting their departure. "What were those things?"

Albus paused. "Those were the Dark Lord, Severus. Now, you must return to your common room. Or Professor Malfoy's quarters, I suppose. We have to join the fight."

"I can help! Sirius and I practice all the time!" he said, pulling his wand.

"My boy, I don't doubt your bravery or intelligence when I say that most of the people we fight today are simply beyond your ability at time point in time…. Instead, go to the hospital wing and help Poppy when she needs it. She _will_ need it."

Severus looked about to protest, but Rodolphus looked at him seriously.

"Get the others- get Rabastan. He can help as well. Please, Severus. You know where she would want you to be." Then, the two men ran from the room.

* * *

The Order members that were in attendance (all of them except for Edgar Bones and Molly Weasley) waited for the Dark Lord to show up. They all knew it would be any moment that he decided to follow his mark to his traitors. While waiting, the Prewett Twins and Arthur Weasley were rapidly working on anti-disapparition wards so that Voldemort and his Death Eaters could not run.

Hermione had an eye on the castle in the distance, halfway expecting to see physical proof that the horcruxes had been destroyed. After ten minutes of waiting, she saw the Phoenix patronus rushing to them. "On our way. It is done," it called clearly in the headmaster's voice.

Hermione and the Malfoy men breathed audible sighs of relief, but the relief was short lived as Abraxas and Hermione fell to their knees in pain. "He knows!" Hermione said. Lucius and Alastor Moody quickly cast spells on the spies' arms to numb them from the pain a bit, allowing Hermione and Abraxas to at least stand and fight.

They didn't have to wait long. The Dark Lord arrived, and roughly 10 robed death eaters were with them. Obviously, they hadn't expected the resistance to be so large, as several of them took wary steps backward upon looking around. Getting to the Dark Lord before he gained much power had saved them from having to face off against people like the Carrows, Rowle, Barty Crouch Jr., Rabastan, and Fenrir Greyback with his pack.

Still, none dared to leave as all wands were drawn. The Dark Lord quickly singled out Hera and Abraxas, glaring at them. "You dared to defy me?" he hissed.

Abraxas looked coolly back while Hera raised her chin.

"I've been defying you for half my life now," Hera said, calmly.

The Dark Lord smirked. "So I've been told… Seer. Abraxas, I hope you don't have any dinner plans with Adeline tonight. Or plans at all really. She's permanently indisposed."

Abraxas paled, and Lucius reached out to grab hold of his father's shoulder.

"What did you do to her?" he snarled at his wife's murderer.

"She broke easily, I'm afraid. Not much of an Occlumens, and even less capable of dealing with pain. Her mind told me the truth in the end."

"So you know me to be a Seer?" Hera said, smirking. "Do you know what we did with your precious diary?"

Voldemort raised his wand to aim at her. "I felt when it was destroyed. A most painful sensation, I assue you. As you can see, though, I survived it. I have other safeguards in place."

Hermione smirked, taking a single forward. "Would those happen to be… a cup? …. A locket?... a ring?... and, oh, yes, a diadem?"

With the naming of each of his horcruxes, the Dark Lord looked more and more visibly angry and fear mixed into the expressions quite easily.

Hermione smiled at the man. "They were all destroyed at once, I'm afraid. You are just one of us mere mortals now."

With a scream of rage, the Dark Lord cast an unknown spell at her, and Abraxas shielded her from it. Lucius caught a curse sent in her direction by a vengeful Cygnus Black, and engaged him quickly.

Soon, almost everyone was fighting. Abraxas and Hermione were occupied by the Dark Lord. They weren't able to deny that they were the duo best able of dealing with him right now. Voldemort wouldn't have allowed it to be any other way.

Lucius didn't waste his time with casting a spell that gutted Cygnus Black. He'd been too hot headed, fighting for the obviously "wrongful" death of Bellatrix. After Cygnus was down, Lucius stopped to grab his wand, just in case, when a curse sailed right by his head. He turned to see Vaughn Dolohov advancing, but his next curse was cut off when the Death Eater was disarmed by another Death Eater, then knocked out and bound in chains.

Antonin pulled off his mask, and helped Lucius to his feet. "About time I get to join the party. I'm shite at occlumency I'm afraid, but… you know, help when you can and all that."

Lucius hugged his friend quickly before nodding at him and running off. Antonin split his Death Eater robe and dropped it to the ground before getting back to the fight, changing sides at once.

After only probably ten minutes of dueling, most of the Death Eaters had been incapacitated or killed, leaving only Parkinson and Avery at anyone's best guess.

They decided to focus on helping out the Dark Lord, unable to see they had been beaten. They took on Abraxas and almost got the jump on him by sending a blinding hex to him. Fortunately, in a rare show of altruism, Alastor Moody jumped to catch the curse, causing him to fall permanently blinded to the ground.

"DUMBLEDORE!" several voices shouted, and the three remaining dark wizards stopped their dueling for just a moment to see Dumbledore flame into existence with Fawkes at his side. Albus wasted no time in joining Hera and Abraxas, and upon seeing that the Dark Lord had plenty of competition, Abraxas immediately took up defending the blind Alastor in the fight. Roland joined him a moment later, and the two remaining death eaters were dealt with quickly.

The Dark Lord, for a moment, was too distracted to realize he was the only one left standing. When he did notice, he hesitated for a moment. That moment caused Hermione to drop her guard as well. The Dark Lord roared with anger and cast a spell right at her, throwing her back into the smattering of trees that James and Remus were hidden in.

"If you aren't dead, I'll kill you!" Voldemort yelled in her direction while Lucius ran toward her. Albus carried on the fight.

"I'm afraid, Tom, that this moment is just meant to be. Let's end this now."

Lucius picked Hermione up and, joined by Abraxas, the two men ran with her toward the barrier so that they could apparate her to St. Mungo's. She was safer there, regardless of how bad her injuries were. If things went badly with Dumbledore, the Order would need her to step up most likely.

"Fine! I'll kill you and _then_ that damned Seer!" Voldemort yelled, casting quickly at Albus.

Albus deflected the curses, chuckling. "You are weak from the loss of your horcruxes, Tom."

Hearing it seemed to cause the Dark Lord to hesitate once more, and Dumbledore didn't miss his shot. He disarmed the Dark Lord, catching his wand swiftly. Then, he leg-locked the dark wizard, causing him to fall flat to the ground. Albus walked up to him, looking down on him sadly.

"I've made so many mistakes, Tom. So, so many. Fate has a way of catching up with us all though. This is yours. My mistakes might have led you down this path, but what I do here… it was ultimately fated. Would have happened anyway, just not by my hand… and not for many more years yet."

"My fate is to _rule!_ " The Dark Lord hissed.

Albus sighed. "No, Tom. You see, Hera is not a Seer. She is a time traveler. You were always destined to go up against her in some way. Your horcruxes were meant to be destroyed; they are against nature, so I don't see how that surprises you. And, Tom… you were meant to die before you ever ruled without question. Hera… Hera just wanted it done sooner rather than later."

The Order had slowly approached the conversation as Albus spoke to Lord Voldemort, interested to hear their words. They looked around in surprise at the information being relayed.

"I was told that in another life… I gave too many chances. Did you know that I have never, not once, actually killed someone? I've beaten and disarmed many… that's true enough. I have never taken a life, though, not intentionally at least. I have held onto that innocent part of myself desperately. In fact, with time, I feel assured in saying that I would have rather entrusted your death to a baby rather than take up my wand and try to do it myself. Perhaps, in that life, a baby would not have had to do that job if I had stepped up and dealt with you myself."

Lord Voldemort simply glared, and the people standing around were completely silent.

"I cannot be innocent any longer, Tom. For what it is worth, I am so sorry to the little bit of boy that might be inside of you whom…whom I failed miserably. I'm partially to blame for you being who you are, but I will be wholly to blame for your death. The horcruxes and your execution. Goodbye, Tom."

With a sharp flick and twist of his wrist and a pink light emitting from Albus Dumbledore's wand, the Dark Lord's head snapped quickly to the side, breaking his neck and killing him instantly.

Silently, the Order of the Phoenix came up, forming a protective circle around their leader as they laid hands on each other shoulders and on the headmaster himself, comforting the old wizard as he cried.

* * *

 _Author's Note: I apologize for how slow this was to be posted. I needed to do final editing, but I had to take a trip across the country for some work stuff that kind of preoccupied me for a few weeks. I'm here now and taking the time out of work to get it posted. Hope you enjoyed. Please review!_

 _Content side note: I received a review a was wondering how Hermione could take a vow and have it be a loophole because it isn't her name and yet Voldemort's stuck. I choose to believe that magic is wrapped around who you decide you are. While Hermione answers to Hera, she will always believe that she is Hermione Granger/Malfoy first and foremost. Her magic answers to Hermione. Tom Riddle was a name that Voldemort dismissed. He identifies himself and believes himself more connected to Lord Voldemort than he does to his birth name. His magic answers to the name he created for himself first and foremost._


	39. Chapter 39

Just over a week and a half later, Hera Malfoy walked into the headmaster's office with her husband and father-in-law at her side. No signs of her injuries were visible, but she had broken her collarbone and her right hip when she had been flung against a large tree. Her hip still throbbed a bit, and her neck was stiff, but it could have been much worse.

The past week had been a difficult one. The Malfoys and other Order members had had to give their statements as to what happened to the Dark Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Remarkably, or perhaps not, everyone that had been there swore the Dark Lord's death had been purely in self-defense. Without having more time to strike fear into the citizens of Britain, most believed that it was just the death of some young, evil upstart that had been snuffed out before he became too much of a problem. Others that knew better certainly weren't going to say any different.

Additionally, the Malfoy family and close friends had been dealing with the death of Adeline Malfoy. For several days, Abraxas had been almost inconsolable, but after a serious, private conversation with his son, the man had come out saying that he was proud of how strong his wife had been, and he would honor her memory and sacrifice by living as she would have liked.

The funeral had already passed, and Hermione had refused to talk of anything not related to the present until today.

While Vaughn was sentenced to a lesser security part of Azkaban for 5 years in a very rapid trial, Antonin had gotten off completely free under the blanket knowledge that he had acted under coercion and had even turned to fight against his "master" in the end.

Sterling Parkinson and Jonah Avery had also survived the fight, but Sterling was to be in maximum security for the foreseeable future, and Jonah Avery was expected to be a permanent resident of the Janus Thickey ward.

Although most of the activity had died down, there was still one thing that had to be dealt with. And Hermione had decided to deal with it all at once for the most part. While the gist of the story had been spread around, she needed to set the record straight.

Ofcourse, until today, many people had made an effort to get information out of her. Numerous owls from friends and acquaintances in the order that had heard the truth had been send. Whispers had passed by her in the hallways. Worst had been Severus and Sirius who had been told that they _would_ get the full truth when she decided exactly how she wanted to say it and had paid her respects to the recently deceased.

So it was that the Order (in full) along with the Marauders, Severus, and Antonin were all crowded into the headmaster's office waiting for her. When she walked in, Dumbledore rose from behind his desk, allowing her his seat to tell her tale to the captive audience. She took her seat, seeing everyone look at her curiously.

She smiled softly at them as she sat down. Alastor Moody, alright fitted with a prototype of what would become his new eyes, cleared his throat as if to speak. Hermione raised a hand to silence him, and he miraculously stayed quiet. "I've thought of what I want to say and how I want to say it. There are several pieces of information that I wish to tell you all, but some of you will be held back for some more… private information. I don't plan for a question and answer session."

Moody grumbled a bit and people shifted in their seats but mostly stayed quiet.

"I was born at an unspecified time in the future, though I can say that Albus was the Headmaster at that time as well. I was, and am, a muggleborn witch."

Several glances shot to the Malfoy men who, completely calm, ignored the surprised looks given to them.

"When I was at Hogwarts, I had the most wonderful opportunity to have a relationship with the some of your children. Two in particular…" here, she looked at Arthur and Molly Weasley. "One of which was a child of yours, Ronald… Ron."

Arthur and Molly looked startled, and Molly's eyes filled with tears.

Hermione smiled. "Of course, you do not _have_ to name one of your children Ron. You might not want to now that I have told you, and that is fine. However, knowing Ron, even without that name… that's a personality that will make itself known in the world no matter what. I'll know him when I see him, no matter what his name is. He was one of my very best friends, and you were almost like second parents to me then. People that guided me into a new, strange, magical world. Please hold onto your caring spirit."

She turned her attention back to the rest of the room. "My other best friend… well, I won't say who his parents were. They aren't together yet, and I don't know if they ever will be. There is hope, though. This one, this boy, is the one that ultimately turned my world upside down…."

"A prophecy was given about this boy, stating that he could defeat the Dark Lord…. Voldemort." She smiled, not feeling the pain in her arm from speaking his name for the first time in a very long time. "The Dark Lord learned about the prophecy and hunted the boy down. His parents were killed, but his mother's love protected him from death…. Even the killing curse. The curse rebounded and cast Voldemort from his body. My friend's life after that… until Hogwarts, was not so wonderful. He was lonely and neglected, ignorant of his circumstances. Coming to Hogwarts… well, it was a life change to be sure.

In our fourth year, the Dark Lord was returned to a body by the help of two of his servants. Those servants, at this time, are still young. They are innocent at this time, and I have no idea what their futures hold. Though we were young, my friends and I joined the fight against him, knowing that my friend was the key to his death, ultimately. For years… for years we fought, and lives were lost. The world was a very dark place. Finally, with the willingness to give all for all of us, the Dark Lord was killed, and my friends and I came out mostly unscathed. Not all did, though. There are people in this room that were dead before I even arrived at Hogwarts. Some of you had children that were killed while I was still of Hogwarts age. Still, as survivors… we attempted to move on.

My life… it was fine, I suppose. There was this constant guilt, though…. Constant reflection of how I wished things were different. And one day, I was offered the chance to change things. I was offered to use a time travelling device that would send me to an entirely different timeline. I know you would all be interested to know who the person was to give me this device, but… to the best of my knowledge they do not exist in this timeline. Without them, it doesn't exist.

Anyway, after speaking with my friends and weighing my options… even after knowing that I could never return and would never know what happened to my own time, I decided to come back. So, I did. I explained the situation as much as possible to the headmaster, and he helped me get all of you together. Most of you fought together anyway, so I knew you would be amenable to it most likely. Falling in love with Lucius… well, that was happy but entirely unexpected. I was given permission to tell you that, in my timeline, he married Narcissa Black as was expected of him and had a child with her."

She looked at her husband, "Is there anything I should say but am forgetting… it's… a lot of information."

Lucius shook his head as if to say that what she said was entirely up to her.

"What changes did you make, specifically?" Roland asked.

Hermione looked at the man and smiled, sadly. "In your family… I don't know what happened to you. I know you were not alive when I was in the Order myself, but you weren't in the Order before. Kingsley… Kingsley was alive in my timeline. In fact, he was Minister for Magic after the war. He taught me how to duel more proficiently after the war… and knowing his style is how I beat him in school here. He usually bested me every time. He was also a very dear friend, and I miss him, both of him, very much."

Roland nodded, wiping his eyes quickly. "Thank you."

"Adeline?" Alastor asked, looking at Abraxas for a moment.

"I don't know the circumstances of her death. She had passed before I even started Hogwarts. Abraxas, I believe, died while I was still young at Hogwarts. Lucius… the Lucius I knew was very different. A Death Eater, though eventually repentant. They are not even the same person. Abraxas either. I am proud to call them both family." Abraxas nodded his head at her words, already having been told about Adeline and himself to the best of her ability in private.

Augusta Longbottom snapped her fingers to get attention, and Hermione looked at her, amused. "The Longbottoms. Did we survive it?"

"The line survived, but at a cost. Frank and his wife lost their minds to torture. The culprits are dead or not a threat to you or them, and the reason for going after them doesn't exist. I see no reason to expect that anything bad should happen. But, if it does, I just want you to keep in mind that magical ability cannot be _forced_ out of someone by dropping them from a window, no matter what your stupid brother, Algie, says. Your heir, who I was also good friends with, was profoundly gifted, strong and loyal, but they grow in their own time. They need their _own_ wands and to be looked at as an individual- _NOT_ a bad replica expected to fit into someone else's shoes."

Augusta looked indignant at first as if she was to respond before realizing where and who the lecture was coming from. She nodded resolutely before looking at the wall.

Arthur and Molly were whispering to each other before Molly finally spoke. "My family?... did we ever have a daughter?"

Hermione laughed lightly, "Eventually, you did. I don't know if that will still happen though, so don't count on it. You did have twin boys…. They were named for their uncles…"

She looked at the Prewitt twins, "Fred and George were born the day after you died in my timeline. Supposedly, it took five death eaters to take you down. One of them is in this room." The twins' eyebrows shot up into their hairline in surprise.

"One of my main goals in coming back here, something I promised, was to help keep people who went dark from going Dark. There are spies in this room that would have never even considered it in my time. There are people in this room that you would be shocked to hear turned dark. If I have learned anything, it is that _choices_ make the man. Men are not fated to be evil or good. We all have freewill, and very few people are past the point of no return."

She sighed, looking around. "I know that you must all have questions. I understand it, too. Unfortunately, I didn't know everyone. As I said, the players on the board were very different the first time around. Ok, I think that is everything. I believe a few were asked to stay, as requested by the headmaster, I believe?"

"What about if we meet a younger version of you in the future?" Charlus Potter asked, concerned.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't think that is likely to happen. The circumstances of my birth, I believe, have already changed. I'm the only one of me you get."

"Can we know your name?" Alastor asked.

She smiled mysteriously. "Ask me in ten or fifteen years… maybe then."

With much grumbling, most of the room left. Those who stayed behind were the Marauders and the elder Potters. Hermione smiled at the small group.

"It deserves to be said, just as I told Ron's parents of him…." She said quietly, meeting eyes with James.

"James, you are the father of my best friend… Harry." James looked shocked, and a bit sick at the thought of all that meant.

"So I…"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. You started out the same at Hogwarts… a prankster and a bully. You grew up… but much later than you should have. You married a wonderful witch, who I will _not_ name… it will happen if it is meant to happen. Together, you had Harry. I cannot imagine having a child more wonderful. You ultimately gave up your life to protect him, something I will forever be grateful for. I left him happily married, anticipating the birth of his own child. Do your best to earn having a son like him. Be a man that a future Harry could be proud of. For mine, while he appreciated and loved you… it hurt him to know the kind of spiteful boy you could be."

Hermione gestured to Lucius who took the silver cloak from within the large inside pocket of his robes. She handed it to Charlus. "Pass this on as you see fit. It has saved your family many, many times… I don't see why it should stop now." He nodded proudly, glancing at his son.

She looked at the other three marauders. "Childhood friendships… they do not always last. Take my words seriously. One of you three betrayed your brothers. I won't say who. Just know that love and brotherhood like you four shared in my timeline…. It is worth so much more than power or fear. If you heed my words… you will have a friendship that can last the rest of your lives, brothers that will support you and stand beside you no matter what. But… I suppose you can know that _I_ know which one of you it was, and I _will_ cut your arse down before I let you destroy each other again. You know I am capable of it, too. As it stands now, you are just boys. Make your choices."

The boys looked pale, and Hermione smiled at them. "So much is already different. The idea of Severus Snape and Sirius Black being friends in my timeline is _laughable_. Truly, it is almost the strangest part of everything I have witnessed. But it is so _right,_ and I am so _proud_ of you all."

She stood up. "Now, I have attended to everyone's questions except for those of Severus, and he has been most patient and understanding. Can everyone else please leave?"

Everyone filed out, even the headmaster, though he nodded to Hermione as he left, gesturing to a shelf next to his fireplace.

Hermione walked to it, pulling the stone basin off of the shelf. "You know what this is, Severus?" she asked, quietly.

Severus walked up behind her, nodding. "A pensieve."

She smiled, pulling memory after memory out of her mind and guiding them into the pensieve. Her first potions class. Professor Snape insulting her teeth. Professor Snape protecting them from a transformed Remus Lupin. Seeing Snape at Order Headquarters and learning he was a spy. Hearing from Harry how the marauders used to torment him. Harry explaining about the doe in the Forest of Dean. Seeing him killed in the Shrieking Shack. Harry exclaiming to Lord Voldemort that Snape was Dumbledore's man through and through. Harry crying as he told them all what he had seen in the memories Severus had given him as he lay dying. Watching Severus's memoral pillar put up outside of the Shrieking Shack and the mounds of flowers placed before it.

When she was done, she turned to see Severus watching her curiously. She walked up and hugged him. "Are you okay?"

He shrugged, "Still trying to process it all. Spy. Seer. Time Traveler. It is a lot, and I have questions."

She smiled. "I knew a spy in my timeline, too. I took great care to learn from him."

Severus looked at her curiously. "Who?"

She put a hand to his cheek and smiled warmly. "You, Severus."

His eyes widened, and he almost took a step back in shock. "Me?" he whispered.

Hermione nodded, feeling tears come to her eyes. "I promised myself that when all of this was over that I would show you the man you were. Will you come look?"

Severus looked nervously at the pensieve for a few moments. He seemed afraid, and it was quite understandable. Finally, he nodded.

She took his hand and pulled him closer to it, coaxing him. "I have to warn you, Severus… his life was _so_ difficult. A lot of it will be hard to watch, maybe… and I know for a fact that I didn't see the worst of what he went through. I want you to know him, though. He deserves to be known here by more than just myself."

Slowly, they leaned their heads into the basin together.

When they came up, Severus practically crumpled to the ground, tears flowing freely. Hermione was crying as well as she sat down on the floor next to her ward.

"No one… no one knew until it was too late," he sobbed, feeling pain and grief for the man that he could have grown to be.

Hermione nodded. "Yes. That's true. He was teased, belittled, beaten, and used as a pawn by too many. But… Severus… look at what he was!"

Severus looked up at her in askance, and she put a hand on his cheek once more.

"Professor Snape, for all that he did wrong… he fought to do better. He dealt with all the world threw at him, often unfairly, and still tried to do his best. He was intelligent, dedicated, powerful, arguably the most loyal person I have ever met, and I am sure there were none braver-not even Harry. A good man acknowledges his mistakes… a great man will do his best to make up for them. You should be _so_ proud Severus… because all of that… it's there inside of you."

Severus wrapped his arms around her in a hug, quietly sniffling against her. She ran her hands through his hair, smiling down at the inky blackness. "I swear to you, Severus… I will do whatever I can to make sure that your life is _so_ much happier than his. I love you so much. Live the life _he_ would have wanted to have. The life you think he deserved."

Severus pulled back and looked at her, using a sleeve to wipe his eyes. "I will."


	40. Chapter 40

_Disclaimer: JK Rowling created and profits from Harry Potter. I cannot claim the same._

 **Chapter 40- Epilogue**

Harry Potter looked down at his father's pocket watch before glancing at the small pram pulled up next to him at the park bench. Then, he looked up, sighing in frustration when he saw anther man turn a corner, pushing his own child in a muggle stroller.

Draco Malfoy huffed as he halfway threw himself on the bench next to Harry. "I swear, this school is going to send me to an early grave."

Harry rolled his eyes, "You are just as dramatic as the first day we met, Malfoy."

Hearing his child whimper, Draco unsnapped a 14 month old Scorpius, letting the boy toddle around on the grass in front of them, clutching a stuffed dragon to his chest. "Shut up, Potter."

Harry smirked in response. "I didn't think you took Scorpius with you on work days," he commented, pulling two sandwiches out of the bag and handing one to his former nemesis.

Draco sighed, "Astoria had to go shopping with Daphne to help her pick out a wedding gown. As a result, I am trying not to lose my mind. He is into absolutely everything! I went to drop a few invoices on the muggle secretary's desk and when I walked the three feet back into my office, he had pulled all of the files out of _three_ cabinets. I'll be resorting student information for days!"

Harry laughed. "Yea, James is at that age, too. Stuffed a whole bunch of Ginny's undergarments down the toilet a few days ago."

"Why can't they stay out of bathrooms?!" Draco said, exasperated. "How is Ginny by the way?"

Harry shrugged. "She's okay. James is playing with Victoire at the Burrow today, so I decided to let her sleep a bit and bring the baby with me. Sleep training is tough on her. I tell her she should just stop with it all. She'll sleep when she is ready."

Draco raised an eyebrow, "They should start calling you the Man-Who-Caves."

Harry shoved at Draco's shoulder, though he grinned to show it was all in fun. "Seriously though, Aunt Petunia certainly never sleep trained me, and I turned out fine!" He took a huge bite of his sandwich and Draco watched in disgust.

"Debatable," he replied.

Their back and forth was cut off by the baby in the pram starting to whine. Harry reached in and pulled out the baby, swaddled in a soft, hand knit blanket that had been passed down from James to his sister.

"Do you want to hold her?" Harry asked, looking at Draco with a smile.

Draco nodded. "Duh, Potter. She's practically my goddaughter."

"I think George would disagree, but whatever," Harry said, holding out the 5 month old.

Draco took the little girl and tickled under her chin, startling a giggle out of the baby. "There we are, Hermione…. Geez, every time I say her name I just praise Merlin that at least she didn't get that hair! Yours is unruly enough, so I think it was a possibility. Even if it is red."

* * *

Hermione stood with Lucius next to the floo, tapping her foot.

"I swear, Lucius, if your son does not stop primping and get down here, he is going to be late for the Express!"

Lucius wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist, "It takes time to look as good as we do, my dear."

She smirked. "Yea, I suppose so. You especially need more time with how your nose is now…"

Lucius turned his head, nuzzling into her neck with his admittedly crooked and bumpy nose. "I think you quite like my nose, especially when it takes a visit to exotic southern locales." She _hmphed_ in response, but smirked nonetheless.

Finally, a white-blonde haired, brown eyed 11 year old excitedly bounced into the room. His hair was cut quite short, but it was obvious that there was natural curl to it. "Let's go!" he said, heading for the floo.

Hermione frowned, putting a hand on her son's shoulder. "I think you are forgetting something?"

The boy looked around, "I have everything required plus extra clothes, money, snacks, and books! Let's go!"

"Not so fast, Draco," Abraxas said, entering the room with two little girls. The youngest one was only 3, and she was perched on her grandfather's hip.

The other, almost 8 as she would proudly proclaim, was pouting at his side. "You didn't say goodbye!" she said, tears coming to her eyes.

The young Draco turned around and forced a look of patience to come to his face. "Sorry, Della. I've been busy getting ready." He walked up to his sister and stooped over a bit, hugging her tightly. "I'll write you tonight and tell you how it is, okay?"

Della still kept her pouty lip in place but wiped her tears away. "Okay…"

Draco then walked up to his grandfather hugging him lightly before kissing the toddler girl on the cheek. "Bye Dora!"

"Bye-bye," the little girl said, waving a pudgy fist.

Moments later, Lucius, Hermione and Draco appeared on Platform 9 ¾ with trunk in tow. They immediately set off to find a place for Draco on the train.

This was made easier by a dark, curly haired boy jumping off the train. "I already found a spot for us!"

"Oberon, where's your Dad?" Lucius asked, looking around.

The boy shrugged, "He had to go to work already, but he was here a few minutes ago. Said he will be there tonight for dinner as expected. Mom went to the loo, I think. I've already said my goodbyes. Ready to board, Draco? We don't have much time."

Draco nodded, looking at his parents nervously before hugging them both tightly. "I love you! I will write tonight before bed!"

Hermione smiled. "Sounds great, love. Remember… Hogwarts simply requires a Draco Malfoy at one point or another. Do your best and you'll do fine."

"Love you, son," Lucius said, casting a featherlight charm on his son's trunk and watching the two boys haul it away.

"Ready to go? I still need to send Dobby to pick up lemons for that dessert Amy likes so much," Hermione said, smiling sadly at the scarlet engine.

Lucius nodded. "You do know Antonin hates that dessert, right?" He took his wife's hand as the engine started to slow move its way down the track, steam billowing from it.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yea, well, he likes the bourbon. That'll do for him, I think. Besides, pudding was his choice last week."

Lucius smiled, conceding the point with his smile.

They walked back toward the floo, but Hermione was stopped by a voice. "Professor Malfoy!" she turned around, raising an eyebrow. She hadn't gone by that title in six years now. She had stopped being the dueling teacher, handing the position to a very capable Remus Lupin, who had recently returned from studying abroad with Newt Scamander while working the dueling circuit in his spare time. She had moved back to healing at St. Mungo's, specializing in spell damage. She smiled to see James Potter and Sirius Black approaching.

"I told you that Hera is fine now. Everything okay?"

They nodded as one and James spoke up. "Yea, we were just on security detail until the express left. Standard."

Hermione nodded. "Your families?"

James smiled warmly as he always did when Hermione asked about it. "Lily is glowing. This next one is going to be a bit exhausting, I think. Harry is very excited about going to Della's birthday party next week. Can't stop talking about it."

Sirius nodded. "Celeste as well."

Hermione smiled brightly. "They are both such joys to have around. Not nearly as rambunctious as their fathers."

Sirius laughed, "Yea… but we tried our best!"

Hermione laughed in respond, squeezing Lucius's hand. "Good to see you two. We'd best get home, though. I have to take care of some business with Severus before I get to St. Mungo's this afternoon. See you both next week."

They arrived home to see Severus standing outside of the family living room with Abraxas next to him, laughing about a hypothesis they both disagreed with that had somehow been printed in Potions Monthly. Behind them, Dora and another girl her age played with blocks on the carpet.

"There's my girls!" Lucius said, bypassing Severus with a quick smile as he headed to play with his daughter and goddaughter. Abraxas nodded at them both, dropping a kiss on his daughter's cheek as he headed toward the kitchen. "I've got treats for you both in the kitchens," they heard Lucius call.

Severus rolled his eyes. "He spoils them."

Hermione nodded, "Yes… yes, he does. Did Narcissa come with you?"

Severus shook his head, taking Hermione's arm in his as they walked through the family living room into the study. Hermione walked to her desk, directly across the room from her father-in-law's, and grabbed a list off of the top. "Here's what is needed. Listed by how urgent the need is. Do you think you can have it all done within three weeks though?"

Severus worked for Smither's potions, the head brewer already. He glanced quickly over the list in contemplation. "That should be fine. It's easier to brew the dreamless sleep in small batches though. Can I deliver half quickly and take my time on the rest?"

Hermione smiled, "You are the great potions master. You tell me. So, Narcissa? Where is she?"

Severus put the list in his trouser pocket, shrugging. "Just a routine check up at St. Mungo's… or so she says," he said, looking up with a smirk.

"You think…." Hermione said, feeling a smile form.

"Most definitely. I tested her on the sly last week. I tried an experimental potion, too, on the _sample. Not her_ because she'd certainly kill me.… it should be a boy."

Hermione laughed, grabbing his arms in excitement. "Excellent! We need more boys around here!"

"You don't think Draco fills the quota of boyish antics?" Severus said, raising an eyebrow. "And don't Rodolphus' sons visit frequently? Rabastan and Pandora's little girl, too, I suppose."

Hermione rolled her eyes, trying not to feel sad at the thought her boy was so far away as she responded. "Eh, Draco is Albus's problem for the school year. Besides, a Severus Junior would be sweet to snuggle."

Severus smiled. "I know I have said it before, but…. thanks for everything."

Hermione leaned up, kissing the tall man on his cheek. "I'd do it all over again."

She heard Lucius pipe up from the background, talking in a sing-song voice to the toddlers he was playing with on the floor. "Severus better be the only other man she goes around kissing."

Hermione rolled her eyes, though her smile gave her away. "Yeah, it's a good thing Antonin crushed your nose, Lucius… obviously I have a thing for distinctive noses. Maybe I'd have left you for Severus."

Lucius mock scowled before waving the two away, and they laughed as they headed to the kitchen to join Abraxas for something to eat.

* * *

Author's Note: So, after literally years in the making, this work of fiction is complete. I struggled to get all of the information I wanted to have in the epilogue, and this was as close as I could get. In the future, when life slows down, perhaps I will add a few one shots to expound on things, but I believe it stands solidly on its own. Thank you so much for your reviews and support! If you haven't already done so and wish to, perhaps add me to your Author Alerts so that you can join in the party when I get around to posting the next story. It might be a little while, things are crazy here and shouldn't really slow down until springtime. Story finished.


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